Large Eyes Terrified
by KTstoriesandstuff
Summary: Sequel to Large Eyes Hoping. Wiress Carpenter lost a sister and a best friend to the Hunger Games all before her first reaping. The odds are decidedly not in her favor when she is picked for the Forty Eighth Hunger Games. She must choose between enduring the Games to become Beetee's first Victor or escaping the horror of Panem to join her sister and friend in the world beyond.
1. Chapter 1

Wiress looked through her closet and pulled out a familiar purple dress with the skirt coming down in soft ruffles. A navy blue sash went around the waist and the short sleeves were slightly puffy.. She held it up to herself in the mirror and closed her eyes as memories flashed through her brain of the first time she wore it.

_"Now, smile." Wendy said as she fixed Wiress' hair in an up-do before tying a ribbon around a large portion of her hair. It was the night of the Engineering Academy dance. "Are you meeting Terrin there?" Wiress nodded before going out to the living room to her parents._ _She had asked Terrin, her twelve year old best friend in the fifth grade class, to attend the dance. _

_"Are you worried?" Wiress asked quietly as they danced to a slower song in the school gymnasium. "About next month?" The reaping was in four weeks. Terrin nodded before Wiress squeezed his hand tenderly. "I think you'll be ok, Terrin." He smiled but Wiress still saw worry in his eyes. "You don't think so?"_

_"I -" Terrin paused. "I just want to spend a long long time with you, Wiress." She smiled. _

_"We can pretend this song goes on for ever and ever." Wiress whispered before Terrin wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her cheek as they swayed with the music. Wiress looked into Terrin's eyes memorizing the four freckles on his nose and the way his bangs fell across his forehead. As the song came to an end, Wiress felt trembling lips press against hers. "I love you." Wiress whispered._

_"I love you too." Terrin whispered._

Tears came to Wiress' eyes as she remembered the school dance. She had shared a kiss with her best friend four weeks before he was reaped for the Forty Seventh Hunger Games. Wendy, her sister had volunteered for one of Wiress' other friends. Tears came to her eyes thinking about her older sister who would have been sixteen years old. She looked around the small room that now only had one bed and a desk in it. The bed was piled high with blankets including a well loved and cried into blanket that had belonged to Wendy. Wiress had sorely missed pushing her and Wendy's beds together and cuddling the night before the Reaping. She never imagined facing her first reaping alone.

"Oh, Wendy." Wiress whispered.

"Wiress, honey?" Mrs. Carpenter came in. "That's a pretty dress." She said smiling before wrapping her daughter in a hug. "Honey, I know this is scary for you. I don't know how I survived my first reaping after Aunt Gloria was taken." Wiress nodded. She let her mother help her out of her pajamas and put the dress on her. Mrs. Carpenter wordlessly brushed Wiress' hair. "Wendy never showed me how exactly she did hers in that up-do."

"That's ok." Wiress whispered as her mother brushed her hair back in a simple pony tail held back by a matching purple ribbon. She followed her mother out to the dining room where her father ladled oatmeal into bowls.

"Oh -" Mr. Carpenter said as his wife and daughter sat down. "We seem to have an extra bowl of oatmeal." Wiress looked at Wendy's chair where a steaming bowl of oatmeal was waiting for nobody.

"Maybe Curie is up." Wiress said. She hurried down the hallway to her friend's apartment. Curie Bystrom's mother was laid off of work when she had to go on maternity leave taking a considerable chunk of income from the family.

"That's so sweet of you. Of course Curie can come over." Mr. Bystrom said smiling. His wife was on the couch on bedrest. She waved to Wiress before Curie came over and held Wiress' hand as they walked back down the hallway.

"Mom wants to have another girl." Curie announced. Wiress grinned. "Wanna know a secret?"

"What?" Wiress asked.

"Mom wants to name the girl Wendy." Wiress wrapped her friend in a hug. They came to Wiress' house. Curie looked around at the living room with a simple but nice cloth couch, easy chair, and a coffee table next to a bookcase. A half-wall divided it from the small dining room with a sturdy table and four chairs next to a clean U shaped kitchen. It was bigger than Curie's one bedroom apartment she shared with her parents, her cousin, and her cousin's two year old son. Curie's cousin had moved in six months ago.

"Wow!" Curie gasped looking at a bowl nearly full with oatmeal. "Thank you so much." Wiress grinned.

"Thanks for coming." Wiress said smiling. "It feels empty in here sometimes." Curie nodded. The girls walked hand in hand to the reaping as Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter followed close behind.

"Just hold out your finger." Curie said as they waited in line.

"Does it matter which one?"

"No." Curie said. "Want me to go first?"

"Ok." Wiress whispered. She squeezed Curie's hand as she registered and went over to the thirteen year olds' section. She stood by the rope fence next to the twelve year olds' section and smiled at Wiress.

"Next." The Peacekeeper said gruffly. Trembling, Wiress held out her left hand. The Peacekeeper stuck her finger with a needle before he put her finger on a slot connected to a laptop computer. "Wiress Carpenter. Twelve year old section." Wiress nodded. "Next!" He called to a sullen fifteen year old boy.

"I think battery burns hurt worse." Wiress quipped as Curie giggled. Other twelve year old girls joined her in her section. Most of them were looking terrified as it was their first reaping. One of Wiress' other friends, Melissa reached for Wiress' hand as the Mayor's speech began. Wiress held Curie's hand across the rope fence. Too soon it was time for the actual Reaping.

Eustacia stood at the front with another ridiculous costume consisting of navy blue feathers stuck to a yellow dress that had random sequence on it. "Let's try for the boys!" Eustacia screeched. "Max Jones!" Wiress closed her eyes reliving the moment of Terrin's reaping as his older brother shakily took the stage. "That name does sound familiar, doesn't it!" Eustacia asked excitedly. "Why, his little brother Terrin was on this very stage last year!"

"Wiress, ssh, Wiress," Melissa said patting the sobbing girl's back. "Wiress, focus. The girls are next." Wiress sniffled.

"Well, I wonder. I wonder." Eustacia laughed as Max stood on the stage. "I wonder if we'll have any other siblings of past tributes! What do you all think? Yes? No?" The crowd stood eerily silent. Eustacia pulled a slip of paper out of the Reaping ball and laughed for a whole minute. "Yes! Oh yes - _so -_ so exciting!" She beamed at the crowd. "Wiress Carpenter! It's your turn now! Come one up!"


	2. Chapter 2

A hush fell over the crowd. Wiress slowly let go of her friends' hands and walked up to the stage. Her large eyes found Beetee's watching the tears collect in his eyes behind his glasses. She paused as Eustacia called for volunteers. However, the Peacekeepers walking around the Reaping Area unlocked their weapons and glared at the youths who knew volunteering would result in immediate punishment. Silence met Eustacia's request and Wiress continued her way to the stage.

"Now Wiress!" Eustacia screeched. "Aren't you just _thrilled_ that you are a tribute _just_ like your big sister Wendy was last year?" Wiress gulped.

"I -" She squeaked. "I just want to make my mom and dad and the Engineering Academy proud." Wiress said. "I have their love and what I learned already and -" She paused. "I have Beetee. My mentor Beetee." She smiled. "With all that, I think I can come home." The crowd cheered and raised their hands in the district symbol chanting Wiress' name at the top of their lungs.

"Max -" She whispered gulping. Max Jones smiled at her.

"You couldn't have said it better, kid." He chuckled before taking her hand. To her surprise, he joined in chanting her name. Wiress could still hear the crowd as she was ushered into the Justice Building.

She sat in the same room Wendy had sat in and closed her eyes. "Use the Force. Use the Force." She whispered thinking about The Force from the ancient Star Wars legends she learned about in school. "WIRESS!" Curie and Melissa squealed running in and smothering her in hugs.

"I wanted to talk, but the Peacekeepers gave us scary looks." Curie explained.

"No, Curie. Wendy would be really upset with you if you did." Wiress said.

"You'll come home, right?" Melissa asked. "We stuck notes to each other in the desks in Lab Two for next year! You have to! Please, Wiress! Please!" Wiress hugged her friend.

"I have Beetee." She said smiling. She looked into Melissa and Curie's terrified eyes that mirrored the tumult of emotions beneath the strong exterior she was exhibiting. She gulped and hugged her friends.

"We love you so much, Wiress!" Melissa said through her tears. Curie nodded as she was sobbing too hard to form words. Melissa led Curie out as the Carpenters joined their daughter in the room.

"Mommy, Daddy," Wiress whispered.

"Oh - my little wire -" Mrs. Carpenter whispered before breaking down sobbing. Wiress sat on her mother's lap before her father wrapped his arms around both of them as they sobbed as one.

"Baby - I - I know you'll try for us - I -" Mr. Carpenter began. "Oh, honey, your mother and I are so proud of you - for everything - I love you, my little wire - I love you -" He dissolved into tears holding his family.

"I love you, Mom and Dad." Wiress whispered kissing their wet cheeks. They stayed huddled around each other until the Peacekeepers lay their hands on Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter's shoulders. "I love you." Wiress called as she waved at them. Max came around from his room and they walked to the train.

"Here you are, dearies!" Eustacia screeched beaming riding on her high of excitement from the Reaping. "Oh my gosh! I can hardly wait for the Games to start! This is just - absolutely exciting, you have no idea!"

"GET OUT! NOW!" A young man's voice roared through the car. "GET THE SNOW OUT!" A glass went flying and would've hit Eustacia square in the forehead had she not turned around and waddled out on her five inch heels. Beetee glared at her before spitting on the plush dark red carpet. "Wires, I hate her!" Beetee said through gritted teeth.

"Beetee!" Wiress gasped running toward him as he collapsed into a large bright orange easy chair. In one motion, Beetee picked her up and held her close in his lap. "Oh, Beetee." Wiress said as he held onto her still shaking with fury and disbelief at the Reapings. "Beetee, what's wrong?" Wiress asked before kissing his cheek. He gazed at her mournfully under his glasses.

"Everything, Wiress." He choked out. "Everything in this room. You being here, Max being here, Eustacia acting like this is so much fun." He spat the last words out with anger dripping from his voice.

"Beetee, I learned a lot at the Academy." Wiress said.

"I know." Beetee whispered, his throat tight with sorrow. "Oh - Panem - why -" he whispered before holding Wiress against him. "Max," He said. "I'm sorry about your reaping too."

"I know." Max said. "But I also know - well, as Wendy would've said: Little Nerding has the district wrapped around her finger." Beetee chuckled.

"Boy, and I don't think she knows." he said before kissing her cheek. Her eyes fluttered open.

"That's why they called my name at the end?" Wiress asked. "Everybody?" Beetee looked around knowing they'd be monitored.

"Yes. A lot of people know your parents, and your sister was here last year and did well." He said. "So yes, Wiress, they want you to come back."

"I know you'll help me." Wiress said smiling.

"I will." Beetee said running his fingers through her hair as she rested her head on his shoulder. "With every breath, Wiress."

"Because - you're sorta like my adopted big brother?" Wiress asked looking into the twenty year old's eyes. Beetee chuckled.

"You could say that." He said.

"I'll try along with you, Wiress. But, I won't ever hurt you in there." Max said. "I want to come home, but I wouldn't mind if I saw Wendy and Terrin again." He knelt by the large chair and looked at Wiress settled on Beetee's lap. Leaning close to the both of them so they had to strain to hear, he whispered, "I'll see that you get home, Squirt. Even if it's the last thing I do."


	3. Chapter 3

Back in District Three, the citizens chanted Wiress' name for an hour after the Reaping was finished. They dispersed only under threat of the Peacekeepers opening fire. Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter went to their apartment. Mr. Carpenter reached for his key and then sighed, resting his forehead on the wooden door. "I can't do it - I - I just can't." He whispered through his tears. "Well, if not now then -" He opened the door and went in. His wife followed and they sat at the dining room table.

"What will we do?" Mrs. Carpenter asked sorrowfully. "We can't stay here if she -" She sighed. "There's too many memories here. Of both of them." She felt her husband's hand on her shoulder. Closing her eyes, she remembered fifteen years ago when they were married on the steps of the Justice Building. They had saved money by living with their parents as they worked in the factories to move into this particular unit. Mrs. Carpenter remembered giving birth to Wendy in the hospital and sleeping the first few nights in the nursery so Wendy could nurse. Four years later, she had brought the groceries in when she went into labor with Wiress. Mr. Carpenter had come home and helped her deliver the large eyed baby girl with nimble fingers. Wendy had loved being a big sister from the beginning.

Wiress had wanted to do everything Wendy did. Her parents had gone into the girls' room to find Wiress curled up next to Wendy. At eighteen months old, Wiress sat up next to Wendy and uttered, "Big gir bed!" Refusing to sleep in her crib, her parents sold it within the week. At three Wiress escaped her babysitter's watchful eye and wound up walking into Wendy's elementary school building surprising Wendy's teacher with her 'homework' which was a doodle of a lightbulb connected to a battery connected to a fan that spun to generate hair ribbons.

Her mother lifted her head from the dining room table realizing a few hours had passed while she had her head in her hands as tears and memories fell from her eyes. They had raised both girls here, and now they faced the possibility of losing both of them within a years' time. "Honey." Her husband said gently. "Right now, she's with Beetee, and I know he'll watch over her." She nodded.

"I know too. I just hope he can bring her all the way home." Mrs. Carpenter whispered.

"I know, honey." Mr. Carpenter replied holding her hands across the table as tears streamed down his eyes. "I know."

"Do you need me to take her?" Max asked as Beetee walked around carrying a sleeping Wiress against his chest. She had her arms draped around his neck, her head on his right shoulder, and her legs around his middle.

"Nah. I'm taking her to her room." Beetee said. "I wanted to make sure she was asleep before we talked." Max followed his mentor into Wiress' room. With the utmost care, Beetee lay Wiress down on the bed and took off her shoes. Max adjusted her pillow while Beetee pulled the covers over her. Beetee kissed her on the cheek and watched her sleeping for a minute before he and Max went into Max's room. "Alright, son. What's your strategy?" Beetee asked quietly.

"Wiress." Max replied. He sighed. "I know my parents want me to get out of there, but - you saw the crowd." Beetee nodded. He touched a small sensor in his pocket that would scramble the audio surveillance.

"Yes, the crowd was quite displeased with the Capitol's rigging this year." Beetee commented. Max gulped, surprised at the frankness of Beetee's comment.

"I - so you knew?" Max asked slowly.

"How could anyone not?" Beetee asked. "Especially since your parents and the Carpenters are some of the main people pushing for labor reform in the factories." Max nodded. "This is their punishment." Max nodded figuring that's why he and Wiress were on the train instead of back home.

"Terrin didn't really catch on to that. He knew Wiress had figured something was happening with our parents in the factories. Wendy told me -" Max sighed before biting his lip as a tear rolled down his face. "Wendy told me that Wiress caught on pretty quickly." Beetee chuckled.

"Not surprising. I knew." He smiled. "Max, please don't feel pressured to sacrifice yourself for your district partner. That - well, that is a hard decision to make." Max nodded.

"Honestly, Mr. Tesla -" Max began before Beetee chuckled.

"Call me Beetee." Beetee replied. "I was only four when you were born. Mr. Tesla makes it sound like I'm your teacher." Max laughed.

"Honestly, Beetee, I couldn't live with myself if I came back and Wiress didn't. I couldn't face her parents. Or mine." Beetee nodded. "Beetee, what do we need to do to get her home?"

They chatted for a good hour before they heard a knock outside the door. "Beetee?" Beetee opened the door. "Hey, Wiress." Wiress smiled at them before rubbing her eyes.

"Beetee, where's the bathroom?" Wiress asked. Beetee pointed her in the right direction. She came out to find Beetee and Max in the living room car waiting for her.

"Close your eyes, squirt." Max said grinning as Wiress sat at the polished oval table.

"Why?" Wiress asked curiously.

"It's a surprise." Max encouraged her. Wiress closed her eyes before Beetee pushed a button under the table. A Capitol attendant entered the room and Beetee handed her a written request for a candy sampler. Max's eyes went wide as the attendant set a glass plate full of chocolate bars, peppermint sticks, fruit gel candy, and candy coated chocolate.

"Open your mouth." Beetee said to Wiress. He popped a piece of chocolate with a caramel center into her mouth.

"Mmmm!" Wiress sighed. She opened her eyes and gasped after she swallowed the chocolate. "BEETEE! YOU GOT US CANDY FOR LUNCH!" She squealed happily.

"Well," Beetee chuckled. "We're not eating _all_ of this. But yes, you guys may have some before you get some sandwiches."

"This is sooooo gooooood!" Wiress giggled licking a peppermint stick in between bites of the fruit snacks.

"You're going to be bouncing off the walls, squirt!" Max chuckled.

"No I'm not!" Wiress yelped indignantly. "You're eating candy too, so you can't tease me!" Beetee laughed hysterically as Wiress stuck her tongue out at Max. "Beetee?"

"Yes, my dear?" Beetee asked still chuckling.

"Did you give Wendy and Terrin candy?" Beetee smiled.

"Yes." Wiress smiled before licking her fingers. "Close your eyes." Wiress closed her eyes and Beetee placed a lemon drop on her tongue.

"Mmm! Wendy's favorite!" Wiress sighed around the candy. "Did Terrin like the candy chocolates?"

"Yes. As does Max." Beetee laughed winking at the sixteen year old.

"MAX! You ate like sixty percent!" Wiress yelped noticing the candy coated chocolates were over half gone.

"Well, I think we should set this candy aside so none of us will get a _one-hundred percent_ stomach ache." Beetee chuckled before ordering everyone a turkey sandwich. He vowed that no matter what happened, he would make all his tributes' times before the Games as pleasant as possible.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Wiress acted a bit younger because during stressful situations, sometimes kids can regress. But she grows up pretty quickly even before the Games :) Also, kids at 11 - 13 can act like adults one moment and little kids the next moment. It's what happens during puberty haha :D

* * *

After lunch Wiress and Max sat around reminiscing about life in District Three. "Terrin told me about how you two kissed in the living room last year." Max chuckled as Wiress blushed.

"MAX!" She yelped. "He promised he would never tell!" Max chuckled.

"Well, to be truthful, I weasled it out of him that evening. He was like a lovesick puppy wandering around in a happy daze talking about none other than his smart beautiful best friend Wiress Carpenter." Wiress hid her face in her hands as Max laughed hysterically.

"I wish he was still around." Wiress said sadly. "I wish Wendy was still around." A tear rolled down her face. "That's why we have to try. For them." Max nodded before they lapsed into silence. They went through a long dark tunnel then were nearly blinded by artificial lights. Wiress and Max gasped as they pressed their noses to the windows.

"LOOK!" Wiress yelped. "A TV antenna on the building - on all of them!" She squealed excitedly. "And I see the electronic billboards and the windows that really change their tint and - all the inventions we've ever talked about at the Academy!" Max and Beetee howled with laughter as Wiress turned around, her large eyes bulging before staring out the window. "Beetee - this is so amazing!" Beetee met her gaze and chuckled. "And some of these are yours!" She beamed at the young engineer who looked away a bit bashfully.

"Just don't look at the people, nerd." Max chuckled ruffling Wiress' hair. She squeaked in protest and playfully slapped his hand away.

"Ugh." Wiress groaned wrinkling her nose. "Some of these people don't look human anymore. They just look weird. Like weirder than Eustacia."

"Excuse me, little Miss Carpenter?" Eustacia screeched walking up to the two tributes who were gazing at the Capitol.

"Nothing." Max said. "Wiress was just wondering where you were." He said thinking fast, his protective older-brother instinct kicking in.

"Oh." Eustacia said. "Well, get presentable, kids - well - as presentable as you can before we get you to the Remake - then we'll get that horrible soot off you!" Wiress looked at her hands. She had washed them and her face after eating candy.

"We're not always covered in soot, you know." Wiress replied still kneeling on the seat while meeting Eustacia's gaze with an indignant glare. "It just happens when we constantly need to make electronics and inventions that are only used here." Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Beetee giving a slight nod in silent total agreement with her.

"Well - I - never -" Eustacia huffed, clearly flustered. She adjusted her bright orange wig and stared back at Wiress. Max prodded Wiress on the shoulder and raised his eyebrows. She nodded. _Don't argue with Eustacia._ Max mouthed. They went into the bathrooms in their rooms and washed up.

"Smile!" Eustacia screeched before clomping down the steps of the train in her high heels laughing and waving at the crowd. Wiress suddenly felt terrified. Eating candy on a train with Beetee and Max, she could pretend that the Games were in the distant future. As her small feet touched the colored cobblestones of the Capitol streets, she was aware that her future in an arena somewhere in Panem was very real. She felt Max's clammy grip in hers knowing he felt the same.

Wiress giggled as she slid into the bubble bath in the Remake room. She formed a mound with the thick foam bubbles and breathed in the floral smell. "Mmm!" She sighed. One of the stylists whose skin was dyed a bright magenta laughed as she uncapped another bottle of liquid and poured it into the bath. "Oh!" Wiress gasped. "That was a whole bottle!"

"Indeed, dearie!" the magenta lady laughed. "We want you smelling so so so great!"

"Oh - I don't need anymore." Wiress said holding up a hand as the lady uncapped yet another bottle of fragrant wash. "Save it for the other kids here." Several other members of the prep-team laughed hysterically.

"Oh, every tribute has an absolutely astounding soap closet, just for the opening ceremony! Don't you worry!" As the lady poured yet another whole bottle of soap into the bath. Wiress' large eyes went wide looking at the containers of soap laid out on a table in the large bathroom she was in. At home, she and Wendy had to make their shampoo last a month. The whole Carpenter family could probably stretch the soap supply in the room for a good six months even with bathing every day. She grabbed a soft sponge and began washing her face. "Oh - no - not yet, dearie! We must exfoliate you first!" Wiress was scrubbed with a rough sponge and a brush until her skin felt raw. "So much soot, dear!" Wiress sighed but let the prep team work.

"Ouch!" Wiress yelped as the prep team waxed her legs.

"You weren't nearly as hairy as your sister!" One of the men laughed. Wiress sat up on the table and glared at him. She lay back down and glowered at the prep team as they waxed her. Her brain was busy plotting some sort of revenge. Suddenly she had an idea.

"OW!" Wiress yelped as the last bit of hair from a quite sensitive area came off. "Leave me alone!" She sobbed.

"My dear, we need to do your nails and face and another scrub -"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Wiress screamed, tears running down her face. The prep team scattered and left the room. Wiress sniffled and blew her nose on a cloth where trays of makeup were waiting on a metal table. She pulled her thin robe on and found the bottle of clear conditioner. Using a sponge, she quickly coated the floor with it leaving a perfect frictionless surface for whoever came in. After putting the supplies in the exact same spot, she had a genuine cry for Wendy. Once her crying subsided, she used a towel to hide her smirk.

"Well, of _course_ she was upset when you mentioned her sister!" Wiress raised her eyes at hearing the familiar voice outside of the door. "I'm sure she will let you finish. Keep your thoughts about her sister or any other past tributes to yourselves." Wiress noticed a growl in Beetee's voice.

"I'm - I'm ok." Wiress called. "They can finish their work, Beetee." The door opened.

"Oooh," The magenta woman sighed. "She looks like a little waif all scrubbed down in that robe!"

"Oh - the state of her face -" One of the men moaned. Wiress let a few more tears leak out of her large eyes for good measure as a few more genuine sniffles escaped. The prep team burst in seconds before they were slipping and sliding on a completely frictionless surface.

"OOH! Oh, my shirt!"

"Look at the state of my pants!"

"OH MY HAIR!"

"Oooh - what is that on me!" The screeching and wailing from the prep team masked Wiress' giggling. Beetee met her gaze with a knowing glance before he winked at her.

"Well, I guess we know what happens when a mass of people try and run on a frictionless surface." Beetee remarked trying to keep a straight face with the mischevious glint in his eye giving himself away. "How do you feel, Wiress my dear?" He asked looking at Wiress.

"Much better." Wiress said smiling before glancing at the colorful screeching mass on the floor. Wiress cooperated with the prep team as they applied her makeup and did her nails. To her satisfaction, they slipped and slid across the floor as they left screeching about the state of their clothes and such. Wiress grinned to herself knowing that she already had one up on the Capitol even before the Opening Ceremony of her Games.


	5. Chapter 5

"Well, that's that." The District Three stylist Horatio said tugging on Wiress' costume. She stared at his gold wig and silver eyeliner. Wiress was in what seemed like a body suit shaped like a dress covered with real working gears and lights. "Oh dear - why won't this go -"

"What is it?" Wiress asked attempting to turn around on the chariot. Max was set with his body suit gears working and the lights blinking.

"Hold still." The stylist ordered. Wiress sighed. "There go the gears. What about the lights?"

"What voltage of battery is in there?" Wiress asked using her engineering problem solving skills.

"How should I know?" Horatio grumbled. Wiress sighed. _How do you not know?_ She asked internally. _That's one of the first things you figure out in your design!_

"We learned about voltage and current in the Engineering Academy." Wiress said. "I can look. Do you have extra batteries?"

"Five minutes until procession!" A Peacekeeper called as the stylists and prep teams for each district put the finishing touches on their tributes as they stood on their chariots.

"Why would you bother with the battery, little girl?"

"Because." Wiress said rolling her eyes. "It powers everything." She gave Max a pleading look. Max raised his eyebrows telling her she was doing a fine job of explaining it herself. Wiress took a deep breath. "If you have a nine volt and it's not powering everything, you'll need to try a twelve volt."

"Very well." The stylist grumbled. He called a member of the prep team to bring another battery. Wiress held still as he attached it to the the dress.

"It works! I told you! It works!" Wiress gasped grinning as her costume lit up. "Max! Look!"

"I knew you could explain it, Wiress." Max said. Wiress grinned and took his hand as the chariot ride began. Wiress waved at the crowd and caught the confetti falling on the chariots. Her dark hair was in an up-do with metallic ribbons running through her locks.

The Carpenter and the Jones families gathered at the Carpenters apartment to watch the opening ceremonies. "There she is." Mrs. Carpenter whispered. Her husband nodded. "There's our little girl."

"Young lady." Mr. Carpenter said. "She's our young lady, and the Games will definitely cause her to grow beyond her years." Mrs. Carpenter nodded. "I tell myself that when I think of her coming home. How we'll get ready."

"That's our Max." Mrs. Jones said smiling. Her husband nodded while fiddling with a wire in his hand. "Our strong Max."

"Look at him - he's standing just like he did with Terrin." Mr. Jones pointed out. They watched as Max put his arms around Wiress' shoulders as she leaned into him. "Your girl is safe with him."

"I know. I know." Mr. Carpenter said. "And he'll do well with little miss smarty pants by his side."

"And - look at that! District Three is waving a very colorful - looks like a ribbon made out of confetti! My, she put that together quickly!" Caesar Flickerman said as the chariots made their way back to the training center. Wiress giggled and waved her ribbon she had made out of the loose confetti while President Snow was giving his speech.

"I showed them I can make something." Wiress cheered as she hopped off the chariot and ran over to Beetee.

"Yes. Yes you did." Beetee chuckled. "Go inside, you two." Max took Wiress' hand and they made their way to the elevators. Most unfortunately, they boarded with the Careers from One and Two.

"Why hello, ribbon girl." The girl from One sneered. She was dressed in a very seductive outfit with gems. "You think your little decoration will win you sponsors? Ha!" Wiress stared straight faced at her.

"It didn't hurt, did it?" She asked smirking before Max thumped her on the shoulder.

"You may think you're sooo cute, little girl, but all you are to us is a bloodbath tribute." The burly male from Two spat before he and his partner exited the elevator on their floor. Wiress and Max got out a second before Wiress began crying. Beetee entered the suite a second later.

"Beetee -" Wiress said teary eyed. "Beetee - we saw the Careers and - they -" She broke off and began sobbing. Beetee looked at Max who explained what happened on the elevator. "I - I don't want to die - You _will_ help me, right Beetee? You'll help me for Wendy?" Wiress asked, locking her pleading eyes on Beetee who sighed.

"Yes." Beetee said. Wiress broke away from Max's grasp on her hand and ran toward Beetee sobbing, her arms outstretched for him to wrap her in his protective embrace. He stopped her by placing his hands on her shoulders and holding her at arm's length. "Wiress, Wiress, you need to stop crying." Beetee said firmly even though he was aching to hold her in his arms.

"B - But - I - Beetee - I'm - I'm scared." Wiress wailed.

"Right now, you _do _look like a bloodbath tribute." Wiress sniffled and gulped trying to control her tears. "If you go to pieces like this in the arena, the Careers will take you out in a nanosecond."

"I - I need - Max -" Wiress began.

"Yes. And no." Beetee said cutting her off. "You need to figure out how you'll stand up for yourself." Wiress gulped. "Have you done that, Wiress?"

"I don't know." Wiress whispered in a small voice. Tears began streaming down her face. "I always had Wendy."

"For the past year you didn't." Beetee pointed out.

"I - well - no one teases me in the Academy because - because I'm the top in my class." Beetee nodded.

"Wiress, you stood up for yourself tonight." Max said. "Remember? Before the ceremonies even started." Wiress thought.

"Oh." She said in a small voice. "I told the stylist that I needed a bigger battery because what he had only operated the gears and he needed enough voltage to power the lights in my -"

"Ok." Beetee said cutting her off. "Good. That's a start. Now you two, let's watch the chariot ride." Wiress sat next to Max and closed her eyes to get herself to focus on the task at hand. _I need to solve a problem. That is how to get out of the arena. What are my variables? The other tributes._

"It's like an equation." Wiress reasoned as the anthem played. "We're finding out about our variables and those are the other tributes."

"Yes." Beetee said. "Keep that line of reasoning as you train tomorrow. We will talk more about that, but for now, think about who would be a good alliance and what each person's strengths and weaknesses might be. You don't have much to work with now, but begin thinking that way." Max pulled out a pad of paper he found in his room to take notes. Wiress also had some paper and a pen as well.

Districts One and Two were predictably the strong and seductive group. "That girl - she's pretty, but she's strong." Wiress said pointing to the scantily clad female from One. "Max, Two's girl is as big as you."

"Shut up." Max muttered poking Wiress with his pencil. She smirked at him.

"What were you both going for?" Beetee asked.

"The just wave and smile tactic." Max quipped.

"Smart." Wiress said.

"Where?" Beetee asked watching Max wave and Wiress wave while grabbing pieces of confetti falling onto their chariot.

"Just wait for my ribbon." Wiress said grinning. "Four's girl looks miserable." They watched as a light brown haired girl from Four rode around with her arms crossed over her chest huffing every so often at her district partner who was attempting to look menacing.

"They probably won't ally together." Max pointed out. Districts Five through Eleven didn't stand out much to the trio watching. Some tributes were clearly terrified while others gave half-hearted smiles and waves.

"Oh!" Wiress gasped pointing at the chariot for District Twelve. The tributes were dressed as coal miners with the girl looking around and flapping her hands in a seemingly involuntary tic. At one point she knocked her helmet off her head. Her district partner picked it up and attempted to put it back on before the girl shook her head before picking at her hairdo.

"Hopefully she goes without suffering." Beetee whispered. He hated seeing children in the Games that had apparent severe disabilities.

"I could help her." Wiress ventured.

"Wiress, she's not like Curie." Max said referring to their mutual friend who had mild cerebal palsy and mild learning disabilities.

"I know, but she deserves a chance too." Wiress argued. "If I get the opportunity I'll try and help her."

"I know." Beetee said. He smiled at Max and Wiress. "I know you two both have good hearts. Don't let the arena change that too much, ok?" They nodded. He commented on Wiress' ribbon and told her that Caeser's commentary helped her. "Get some rest you two. Training is tomorrow."

"Good night." Wiress and Max said. Wiress went to her room and lay down thinking. She had always lived her life within Wendy's protective watch. Even though Wendy was somewhere within The Force, Wiress knew that to continue living after the Games, she would have to be sure of herself on her own.

"I'm Wiress Carpenter." She whispered. "I _can_ become a Victor for District Three." She closed her eyes and used The Force to will herself to gain the extra strength and courage she would need for training the next day.


	6. Chapter 6

Beetee woke up to hear someone softly singing. He blinked and pulled on his bathrobe over his pajamas and walked down the hallway to the tributes' rooms. A small high voice was singing about making a circuit as a door opened. He smiled at Wiress who was dressed in this year's training uniform which consisted of moisture wicking dark blue sweat paired with a matching jacket. Underneath, the tributes wore a cotton shirt that had a unique color depending on the tributes' district. In this case, Wiress had on a grey shirt underneath her jacket. She had her hair in a pony tail. "Hi, Beetee." She said smiling in spite of the flashes of fear in her large eyes.

"Hi, Wiress." He said smiling. "Breakfast is ready for us. Do you smell it?" Wiress sniffed and smiled at the smell of eggs and cooked meat.

"It smells good." Wiress said. She knocked on Max's door. "MAX! GET UP! BEETEE SAYS WE HAVE TO EAT BREAKFAST!" The door opened and Max's bemused face poked out.

"I was coming, don't worry, squirt!" He chuckled ruffling Wiress' hair.

"MAX!" she yelped. "And don't call me squirt!" He raised his eyebrows.

"And why not?" He asked curiously. Wiress blushed.

"Because -" She paused. "Because that's like a little kid - and - I'm not." Max smiled.

"Ok, You're right, Wiress." He said grinning. They sat at the dining room table where platters were loaded with eggs, sausage, bacon, pastries, and fruit. Beetee let the two eat two large plates of food in silence before launching into a discussion about training.

"Now, your first day, you should focus on survival in the morning." Beetee instructed. "Don't touch the weapons until the afternoon and then start with the light items." Max and Wiress nodded. "Of course, if you find an area you are deficient in, work on that. Any questions?"

"Will we see you at lunch?" Wiress asked.

"We'll see. If you need me, you can get Eustacia as she will be close by the training area." Wiress and Max finished their meals and Eustacia flounced over wearing what looked like a multi-colored feathered dress to take them down to the training area.

"Bye, Beetee!" Max and Wiress called. Wiress bit her lip to keep from giggling at Eustacia's outfit while they were in the elevator. The elevator opened and Wiress' eyes got even wider as she surveyed the training area. An agility course made of steps of various heights was in one corner of the large room. Half of the room had shelves upon shelves of weapons. One wall had wooden dummies hung from a conveyor belt. Wiress' large eyes focused on the gear mechanism mounted to the ceiling that moved the belt. The wall opposite of the dummies had inset rooms that looked like various terrains. She knew those were the survival stations.

"Wiress," Max said poking her. "C'mon." She blinked as her gaze settled on the other tributes who had come in and were gathered around the lead trainer. She took Max's hand as they joined the circle. Everyone was there except for District Two.

"All we need to do is wait for District - oh -" The head trainer named Atala said as the doors burst open. The burly Victor from Two had his tributes almost literally by the scuff of their necks.

"Now. No more fighting with each other. Or the others." He growled before shoving them into the circle.

"He is right." Atala said. "You are not allowed to fight or harm any other tributes during training. IF you wish to practice hand to hand combat, there are trainers available. Also, we have our row of wooden dummies of varying sizes so you may use them for weapons practice." She outlined which stations were where and when lunch break would begin before dismissing the tributes. Wiress watched as the tributes scattered about the training gym.

"Max, let's watch the weapons demonstrations." Wiress whispered.

"Beetee said to do survival." Max replied confused as to why his small district partner was keen on working on weapons.

"We will." Wiress said. "But look, the Careers went straight to the weapons and almost everyone else is at survival stations." She paused. "The Careers are laughing at them." Max looked around. He followed Wiress' gaze as she looked at the Gamemakers watching the room from a balcony. They were eying Max and Wiress curiously. "Max," She said in an undertone. "The careers and the gamemakers have always seen District Three as weak. We have to change that."

"Ok." Max said. Wiress straightened up and walked over to the knife throwing station.

"Are you two joining us for the demonstration?" The trainer asked. Wiress nodded and smiled to mask her fear below the surface. The male tribute from Four smirked at them. The trainer explained how the knives were cut to fly through the air efficiently.

"It's angular momentum." Wiress reasoned. "That is why you can pull the prongs out in the handle or keep it smooth. It adjusts the speed of the spin."

"Yes." The trainer said. "Like so." He smoothed out the handle and threw the knife as it sank into a wooden dummy. Wiress' eyes grew large. To her surprise, he handed a knife not to the Careers from Four, but to her. "Now try, little lady." Wiress blinked and then threw the knife hitting a dummy in the shoulder.

"You were off a bit." The trainer said pointing to a target near the dummy's heart. "But good speed."

"Thank you."

"Care to try again?"

"No, I'm just focusing on seeing demonstrations for now." Wiress said. She cheered Max on as he threw a knife and then they headed over to the spears section. Max tried his hand at the spears and found he wasn't all that bad. Wiress opted to pass on that and they moved on to a martial arts type weapons station. Wiress caught on to the throwing stars and she was fascinated by the numchucks. Asking for a piece of paper, she drew quick sketches as the trainer demonstrated the weapon for a second time.

"Alright. Let's go the the survival stations." Wiress said. She and Max jogged over. Max and Wiress caught onto the fire station quicker than past tributes from Three. Wiress particularly enjoyed the plants station.

"Wiress!" Max yelped as she took flowers and wove them into her hair. "What are you doing?"

"Just watch, Max!" She giggled before walking over to an area with tall grass. She ducked down. "I'm camouflaged!"

"Well. Look at that." Max said grinning. "You're doing alright, smarty-pants." Wiress grinned. She took the flowers out of her hair and then had the trainers quiz her on the edible plants again. After getting the questions right again, she and Max went over to the shelter building station. The tributes from Twelve were there. "Hello there." Max said to the boy who appeared to be his age.

"Hi." The boy said. "I'm Rick." He shook Max's hand. "And this is my district partner Jamie." Rick gestured to his district partner who was building a mound of sand in a sand pit. "She doesn't talk, but she seems to like the survival stations. Lots to look at. I'm trying to learn what I can so maybe I can protect her in the arena."

"That's very kind of you." Wiress replied. "Have you thought about joining an alliance? Sometimes non-Careers have an alliance." Rick shrugged.

"I dunno." He said shrugging.

"I guess we could ally with you if we run into each other there." Max suggested. Wiress nodded. Rick nodded before the three of them began building a makeshift fort out of large branches.

"Now this acts as a support beam." Wiress instructed. "If we want to make it bigger, we need to make sure the branches are so that the weight of the roof is evenly dispersed..." The two boys chuckled. "Yes?" She asked staring at them inquisitively.

"You're our engineer, aren't you?" Max asked grinning. "Terrin was right. You sure know your stuff." Wiress smiled sadly.

"That why I want to work hard here." Wiress explained blinking back tears threatening to spill out of her eyes. "To win in his and Wendy's memory." Max nodded and pulled his district partner into a hug. The three of them began learning how to make makeshift rafts to cross a body of water in the arena. Jamie wandered into the branch shelter and took a quick nap. Rick woke her for lunch.

Rick made sure Jamie was able to get what she wanted at lunch and settled her at a table before Max and Wiress joined him. The tributes from six joined them. Wiress was soon animatedly talking to the sixteen year old girl named Lock about the trains. "Yeah, I just wrote a paper about the electromagnetic tracks!" Wiress said excitedly. Lock grinned.

"That's the tension isn't it?" Lock asked. "We want to go home and invent, but first we have to survive the Games." Everyone nodded. Jamie went back to the buffet and took some more glazed carrots and sweet rolls. "Did your partner eat any of the meat?" She asked Rick.

"I pointed it out to her, but I'm letting her eat what she wants for the most part. She doesn't gorge herself with desserts." Rick explained.

"So, about the alliance." Max began. Taylor the male tribute from Six nodded to indicate he was listening. "How long to we want to hang around the cornucopia?"

"Um - long enough to get supplies. Maybe half of us can get supplies, half can make a run for it." Taylor suggested.

"Yes, but what if the half that get the supplies get nabbed?" Lock asked.

"It's a risk we take, I guess." Wiress said softly. "Let's see: if three of us run, three of us fight it out, and if we just grab - well - something and then go, we have a 1 in three and 2 in three chance of getting something. So if two people don't make it back, we still have something rather than all of us running or all of us staying there." She sighed.

"Probablility biting us in the bum." Max muttered. Wiress supressed a giggle not wanting to tell Max that she briefly imagined something biting him in the bum as he was walking through a grassy plain in his underclothes.

"Yes." Wiress said softly. "But it's only a formula. Someone has to beat the odds every time in this game." She smiled. "Maybe it will be one of us." The tributes were dismissed from lunch and were instructed by the trainers to gather by the agility course.


	7. Chapter 7

"Now," Atala began. "You will jump from platform to platform dodging the bags hung from the ceiling." She explained as a tile in the ceiling came down revealing cylindrical long bags filled with pellets. The bags were swinging at random. "We will get in line by district and you will go when you are called. Your objective is to complete the course without falling off the blocks or being hit by the bags. If you should fall off the block, get up and begin as you will gain points for completing the course. The Gamemakers will take this exercise into consideration when calculating your training score." Wiress gulped. She eyed the platform and then looked up at the ceiling to see if she could see the mechanism causing the bags to move. "District One Sapphire!" the eighteen year old girl who had her uniform pulled tight to reveal her curve sauntered up to the course. She seductively smoothed down her shirt while slowly wiggling her hips once the Gamemakers were focused on her. She began the obstacle course and only got hit once with one of the bags. "District One Mica." Mica, Sapphire's eighteen year old district partner executed the course with only getting hit once. "District Two Athena." The burly girl from Two nearly flew through the course. Suddenly one of the bags blindsided her and she fell off one of the raised blocks. Cursing loudly as she hit the ground, she hurried to the beginning. "Athena, just start where you left off." Atala said.

"No! I got off rhythm." Athena snarled glaring at the head trainer.

"That's the rule of this course. You're still on the clock." Athena cursed out Atala soundly before stomping back to the course. She was hit from behind with the last bag before she twirled around and kicked and punched it enraged. "You may exit the course as you have cleared all the blocks."

"IF THOSE WERE PEOPLE, I WOULD'VE KILLED EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM!" Athena screamed. She stomped over to stand by the District One tributes and glared at them and the others who were waiting to complete the course. Another trainer came over and stood several feet away from Athena.

"District Two Granite." Atala called. Granite grunted and began the course. "Avoid the bags," Atala called. Granite roared and kicked one of them. She shrugged as he growled and barreled through the bags punching and kicking them out of his way to make it through the course.

Wiress took deep breaths as she pushed the growling boy from her mind. She looked at the course once more and then closed her eyes reminding herself that Wendy and Terrin were part of The Force and could help her if she accessed The Force's power. "Use The Force. Use The Force." She whispered. "Terrin, Wendy. I know you can help me." She whispered. She opened her eyes just as Granite cleared the course.

"District Three Wiress." Atala called. Wiress took a few steps back and ran with calculated steps up to the first platform. She timed the swinging of the first bag and then hopped to another platform. She dexterously made her way through the maze. She jumped to the second to last platform and nearly faltered as she leaned out of the way of one of the bags. Moving her arms so she maintained her center of balance, she spun her body so she would land in a precise spot on the last platform. A bell dinged as the Gamemakers stood up and clapped. "District Three, Wiress Carpenter, you completed the course with no falls and no hits!" Everyone cheered and clapped. Max got through the course only getting hit twice. Wiress wrapped him in a hug when he came over toward her. She gulped as she saw Athena staring at her with pure hatred. Athena fiddled with her shoulder length hair braided into two braids staring at the weapons stations impatiently as the other tributes completed the course. Lock and Taylor completed the course with only three hits each which was better than a lot of the non-Career tributes had managed. "District Twelve Jamie!" Wiress looked as Jamie got up onto the platform. She was knocked off by one of the bags. In response, she hopped down and crawled through the crevices between the blocks before emerging on the other side. She plopped down on the mat and decided to take off her shoes and socks. Rick completed the course with five hits and coaxed Jamie to stand up as the tributes were dismissed to go to their stations of their choosing. Rick and Jamie headed back to the survival stations where Jamie played with a tray of mud in the camouflage station.

"So, weapons now, right?" Max asked. Wiress nodded. She walked back over to the knives section. "Remember how to throw that thing?"

"Angular momentum to control the speed." Wiress replied. She drew her hand back and threw the knife.

"You're definitely closer to the target." Max pointed out before trying his hand at the knives.

"I could've thrown three of those in the time it took you to throw one!" Athena cackled. Wiress raised her eyebrows. "Move!" She snarled. Wiress moved out of the way, but kept her gaze on Athena. Her large eyes took note of how Athena stood and threw the knives. "You're dead if I get a hold of these." She hissed. Wiress swallowed and shrugged. Suddenly Wiress felt herself being thrown to the hard floor. "What are you playing at?" She hissed pinning Wiress' shoulders to the floor. "You're a weak pathetic bloodbath!" Though Wiress' large eyes betrayed her fear as she stared into Athena's face, she reminded herself to keep her head in this situation.

"Get off of her!" Atala called running over. Athena grabbed Wiress by the front of her shirt and threw her onto the mats next to the spear and mace throwing station. Wiress grabbed Athena's wrist to counter the force of Athena's arm as she was still still grasping her knife.

"_You're gonna die right here, Three!"_ Athena growled before lunging at Wiress with her knife. Wiress kept a hold of her wrist while rolling away and forcing Athena to drive the knife into the thick mat at an odd angle so Athena couldn't just pull the knife out of the material. Wiress rolled out from under Athena just as two Peacekeepers ran into the room and grabbed her. "I'LL KILL YOU IN THE ARENA! THE FIRST THING I'LL DO!" Athena screamed at Wiress. Wiress gulped and closed her eyes before examining the spear station trying to ignore Athena's screams as she was pulled from the room. She directed her fear into learning other weapons including spears, numchucks, and throwing stars. Taking a break, she jogged around the track that went around the room. She ended the day by reviewing the survival stations with Max, Lock, Taylor, and Rick. Knowing that she kept her head up for the whole day, she felt more confident that each day would get easier making the prospect of entering the arena slightly less terrifying.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I don't normally do an A/N at the beginning of the chapter, but I have been distracted from Fanfiction by the arrival my new boyfriend haha! In a weird way, he is like Beetee as in he is smart and quirky haha!

And now we return to Beeress love of a different sort :D

* * *

Wiress quickly shoveled the meat and potatoes into her mouth after a quick post-training shower. She and Max had told Beetee about wanting to ally with Taylor and Lock from Six as well as Jamie and Rick from Twelve. Beetee understood their logic and advised them to continue working with Six especially during training. After that brief discussion, Wiress and Max had concentrated whole-heartedly on eating."Slow down, little one." Max chuckled.

"I'm hungry!" Wiress yelped after she swallowed a particularly large bite. "And you're eating a lot too!" Max laughed.

"Oh well." Eustacia sniffed. "Just don't get sick. The girl two years ago simply gorged herself the first night -"

"_The Girl_ two years ago happened to be lucky to eat a square meal once a week." Beetee growled. Fury blazed in his dark eyes behind his glasses. Wiress gulped at the intensely hate-filled stare he gave Eustacia. "Yes, Milly became ill. Curie let her eat what she pleased the first night so she would feel _somewhat_ less terrified." He took a shuddering breath as his knuckles whitened while he gripped his silverware.

"Well, your tributes this year at least have manners."

"Thank you, Eustacia." Wiress said smiling trying to break the icy silence that had fallen around the table. Max smiled at her before filling her water glass. Wiress noticed Max staring longingly at the long platter with a spiced pork loin covered with sauce.

"You got that, squirt?" Max asked.

"I lifted some weights, Max. I would hope so." Wiress quipped. "And no calling me squirt, remember?" She asked before picking the plate up and handing it to Max.

"Why not?" Beetee asked curiously.

"I just want to appear strong." Wiress said. "I know I'm young, but I want to be competent." She reasoned. "I want to show my potential because - because Wendy and Terrin always encouraged me to." She paused. "I could go down quivering in fear or go down bringing pride to my district through my accomplishments." Everyone was silent taking in Wiress' insight.

"You won't die, Wiress." Max said softly. "You won't." Wiress blinked and looked at him with a mix of sadness and determination in her eyes.

"I don't want to." Wiress said. "But the odds considering the amount of victors our district has compared to others and the number of tributes we face, are that I will." She paused. "Max, don't hide that from me, please? I don't need that sort of protection." She asked. Max took her hand in his. "If I go to be with Wendy and Terrin, I'm doing it with my head held high.

"When did you decide this, Wiress?" Beetee asked quietly, his gaze studying his youngest tribute.

"When you told me not to cry." Wiress answered. "Thank you." Beetee nodded simply.

"I'll let you tuck in while I'm in my study." Beetee said. Wiress and Max nodded before Beetee got up and retreated to Curie's old room. He had converted it into a study after Curie died. He would convert it back to a bedroom if a second Victor was crowned from his district. As he wrote ideas on a scratch-pad, he thought about his tributes. One had began a scared child and was quickly growing into a young lady determined to defy fate with everything she had. Another began as a protector who was slowly letting his charge show herself as his competent ally. As always, Beetee would try to help both of them at the same time and hope each of them would get as far as possible.

The next day Wiress, Max, Lock, and Taylor were at one of the survival stations working on traps. Rick had decided that he and Jamie would try and ally with District Ten and Eleven since they were more of an agricultural group. They were in the edible plants and shelters stations working on how to get food. "How about the Ingenious Allies?" Max quipped.

"Why can't we just be The Allies? One, Two, and sometimes Four have always been The Careers." Lock pointed out.

"But that is technically an alliance." Taylor said frowning as he wrapped a rope around a branch.

"The caboose!" Lock suggested, her eyes gleaming.

"Huh?" Max asked puzzled while Wiress and Taylor chuckled.

"You know! The Caboose. The last car on the train." Lock explained.

"Who says we're the last car?" Wiress asked. She thought for a moment. "How about The Quantum Crew?" She asked excitedly. Max groaned and rolled his eyes.

"So. Nerdy!" He groaned.

"Shut up, Max! They work on trains and we work on electronics and technology. We're nerds!" Wiress retorted rolling her eyes. "And quantum particles are tiny but powerful." Everyone paused to let Wiress' words sink in. "Well?" She asked, a victorious glint in her large eyes.

"You win." Max said chuckling as Taylor and Lock nodded. A commotion at the weapons station drew their attention. "C'mon, Quantum Crew. Something's going on." He said softly. The other three followed his lead as they left the survival stations and walked toward the Weapons stations where once again Athena was commanding the attention of the room.

Athena stood in the center of the mats covering the floor near the spears. Large fresh gashes marred the plastic surfaces of the mats and a rack of spears was overturned. She stood poised to throw the two spears in each hand. Her hair that was in a messy bun was disheveled and her face was bright red. She was breathing heavily and staring down the trainers that were facing her. "Athena, I _will_ call the Peacekeepers if you do not stand down." Atala said sternly. "Your training score will be affected by your continued defiance here."

"Let them try!" Athena snarled. "I can take them!" She announced glaring at the other tributes who had stopped what they were doing to watch the scene unfold. One trainer took a tentative step forward but then narrowly missed getting impaled by a spear. Athena threw her head back and cackled loudly as she grabbed more spears from the ground and threw them at two more trainers as they ran to overtake her. One of them screamed as he fell onto the conveyor belt under a row of wooden dummies.

Wiress gasped as two claws materialized from the belt and grabbed the trainer's flailing limbs, puncturing deeply into his left arm and right leg. However, in the commotion with Atala and the other trainers trying to subdue Athena, no one noticed their colleague who was being pulled by the conveyor belt. Thinking quickly, Wiress grabbed two throwing knives and aimed them at the gears above the dummies. The gears grinded as one throwing knife after another became caught in the spokes stopping the advance of the belt. "STOP!" Wiress screamed. "HELP! SOMEONE'S HURT!" She knelt down and held the trainer's hand. He appeared to be in his mid twenties with dark hair and fair skin, though not as pale as many citizens from Three. She yelped and covered the man's body with hers as rubber bullets whizzed by them. Three Peacekeepers had opened fire on Athena before a taser shot knocked her out cold. "Help!" Wiress called as Athena was dragged away. "HELP! SOMEBODY! HELP!" She looked down at the man who was grimacing in pain. Slowly Wiress pressed her hands around his wounds to staunch the flow of blood.

Slowly the other tributes poked out from behind corners, crates, and other nooks and crannies of the training room. They had ran for cover once Athena began throwing the spears. "We need a medic in here!" Atala yelled. "Three is right! We have a trainer down!" Wiress gingerly sat up. "Thank you." Atala said. "Sit on the mat. Your arm is hurt." Wiress sat on the mat where Athena had attempted to stand her ground. She looked down at her right elbow that had a chunk of flesh missing from the rubber bullet.

"I hope your friend recovers." Wiress whispered before six medics in blue uniforms ran in with two gurneys. Five went over to the trainer caught in the conveyor mechanism. "Oh!" Wiress yelped jumping up. "Turn the belt off!" She called to Atala and the other trainers. "The kinves won't hold in the gears forever." She pointed to the gears that were grinding against Wiress' throwing knives. "Look!"

"My god -" The knife throwing instructor gasped while another trainer turned the conveyor belt holding the dummies off. One look into Wiress' knowing large eyes and he knew her skill had saved his colleague. "Little lady," He whispered to Wiress. "I'll do what I can to see that the odds are in your favor."

"Thank you." Wiress whispered before a medic came to her and tended to her elbow. The Quantum Crew surrounded her and distracted her by telling stories and talking about engineering as her wound was cleaned and stitched. Training was cancelled for the rest of the morning, giving the tributes time to unwind and refocus back in their district suites.


	9. Chapter 9

Max and Wiress entered the District Three suite and were pleased to find snacks laid out on the dining room table. "Did you know we were coming back?" Wiress asked the Avox who gestured to the table indicating the tributes could help themselves. She nodded. "Mmm! This roll is sooo good!" Wiress sighed breathing in the warm buttery sent of a croissant. "I can't believe people eat this _every day!_" Wiress gasped. Max nodded and quickly devoured two croissants.

"Hey there, Max, Wiress." Beetee said coming out of his study. "The trainers called up to say you were coming." He smiled tenderly at Wiress who was examining his expression with her large eyes. "Atala also told me that a certain tribute stopped the dummy conveyor belt with two knives and saved her colleague." Wiress blushed.

"I had to." She explained. "He was hurt."

"Wiress, if someone gets hurt in the arena," Beetee began.

"It's different." Wiress said quickly realizing where Beetee was going with his argument. "I mean, I'll be trying to survive."

"But Wiress," Max interjected. "What if it's me? What if I'm hurt and Athena is running up to us for the kill? What if it's Taylor or Lock?" Tears leaked unbidden out of Wiress' eyes.

"I wouldn't leave you, Max." She whispered before reaching out and holding his hand. "Or my allies."

"I know, Wiress." Max said. "I know." He looked into his district partner's large eyes reflecting a mix of compassion and fear. Wiress' intelligence gave her a fighting chance, yet her heart might betray her.

"Wiress," Beetee said carefully. "When you're in the arena, you need to have one goal, and that is to get back out. Max, same to you." The two tributes nodded and followed Beetee to his study which was formerly Curie's bedroom. Her bed had been replaced by a rectangular table. A thick wirebound notebook of sketches on graph paper was on the center of the table along with rulers, other measuring devices, and a calculator. Beetee had also requested a ream of white office paper which was partially open. Several sketches on the crisp white paper also littered the table.

"Wow!" Wiress gasped leafing through the notebook staring at Beetee's work. "Beetee, are you going to tell us about these?" She asked excitedly, bouncing on the balls of her feet. Beetee looked under his glasses at her and chuckled.

"I will tell you more once you get home." He said tenderly as he took the notebook from her hands. "Alright, until you are called back down to the training center, we'll work in here." Wiress and Max nodded. "Who are your allies?"

"Taylor and Lock." Wiress said. Beetee wrote it down on a clean sheet of paper. "And Lock is really good at inventing too! She got A's in all her projects just like I did!" She announced before blushing as Max chuckled.

"So brains are definitely a strength of The Quantum Crew." Max pointed out. Beetee chuckled. "That's what the girls thought of as a name. Well, Wiress did really, but everyone likes it."

"Wiress, you named your alliance?" Beetee asked pleasantly surprised. Wiress nodded. He chuckled. "What other strengths do you have?"

"Taylor's pretty strong." Wiress pointed out. "He's smart too. Like Max. We all are smart."

"So, if you three had some sticks, a rope, and several weapons at your disposal, what would you do?" Beetee asked sketching on the paper. Max and Wiress talked about designing a trap and where members of the alliance would stand guard if they were standing around a camp. They talked until lunch.

After lunch, they were allowed to return to the training room. The Quantum Crew was practicing their agility and team work on an obstacle course the trainers had set up in lieu of the weapons stations being out of commission. The conveyor belt housing the dummies was still broken leaving the Careers to lift weights or walk around glowering at everyone else.

Max and Wiress trained hard so they slept well that evening. The next day, Wiress spent an hour perfecting her knife throwing and the nunchucks. Max worked with spears, knives, and hand to hand combat along with Taylor. Lock and Wiress spent the rest of the morning chatting and making traps.

"Good luck in your training exam!" Lock said to Wiress as they left the training area.

"Thanks. You too." Wiress said. She embraced her new friend and waved as she and Max exited the elevator to their district's suite. Beetee greeted them before they enjoyed a lunch of pork chops, mashed potatoes, and broccoli. An hour after lunch, Max and Wiress were back in the training area for their individual training sessions. "Good luck, Max." Wiress said squeezing her district partner's hand. Max smiled at her before walking into the room. He looked around and caught the eye of the Gamemakers who were standing on the balcony on the second floor looking down at the training floor. Max took a deep breath and thought about his little brother who was here exactly a year ago. He used some spears and then built a trap. He waited in the district suite for Wiress to complete her individual session.

Wiress sat on the bench with the other tributes. Lock and Taylor caught her eye and waved at her midway through Max's session. She smiled back at them and closed her eyes. _Use the Force._ She felt Wendy and Terrin giving her strength and telling her that they had been in that very room a year ago. _I know, Wendy. Terrin. I'll do well for both of you._ Wiress smiled feeling the love and encouragement from her sister and best friend. "Wiress Carpenter." Atala called. Wiress walked into the room and looked around. She spotted a rack of throwing knives and threw them at various distances at different dummies. She then built a complex trap and then ended her session by climbing through the obstacle course that was set up from the other day. When she was dismissed, she looked up toward the sky and thanked Wendy and Terrin for strengthening her through The Force.


	10. Chapter 10

"Wiress, you scored a six in training! That's right in the middle of the pack!" Caesar Flickerman said to Wiress as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Copper and silver wires were woven through her hair that was put in an elaborate updo.

"Thank you." Wiress replied. "I put my best foot forward just like I do at school." She smiled. "I felt the support of my sister Wendy and my best friend Terrin through The Force as well as the support from Mom, Dad, my teachers and friends back home in District Three." She paused as the audience quietly applauded. Caesar smiled at her.

"For being the youngest tribute here, you certainly do not seem afraid." Caesar commented.

"No." Wiress said simply. "My district has won twice, and I believe I can win for us again." She smiled. "Spending three days with the smartest inventor Panem has ever seen gives you confidence to the infinity!" She said excitedly as her face lit up. "We'll make District Three proud!" The buzzer sounded before Wiress thanked Caesar for his time. She faced the crowd and courtseyed in her silver dress that had gear and circuitboard patterns embroidered in gold on it.

"'The smartest inventor Panem has ever seen?'" Beetee asked blushing. Wiress smiled before he settled her into his lap. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her cheek against his chest. Max chuckled and patted Wiress' shoulder as they watched District Four's interviews.

"Well, you are!" Wiress giggled playfully ruffling Beetee's thick dark hair.

"No, _you_ still have a crush on him." Max pointed out causing Wiress to blush as he howled with laughter. "Don't worry, I won't tease you about that tomorrow."

"You'd better not!" Wiress retorted rolling her eyes playfully before settling into Beetee's lap breathing in his scent of soldering chemicals, a clean soap type smell, and a scent that was distinctly his.

"You've grown up so much these past few days, Wiress." Beetee whispered in her ear.

"Thanks to you." Wiress whispered. "I feel stronger now." She felt Beetee's lips brush her cheek.

"Strong enough to spend all night inventing last night." Beetee chuckled. "I notice you took the liberty of drawing in my notebook."

"You didn't even hear me get up, sleepyhead!" Wiress giggled playfully poking him in the chest. "Besides, I was practicing being stealth."

"That's not hard to do when your mentor is snoring loudly." Max commented causing everyone to laugh.

"That wasn't me! It was Eustacia!" Beetee protested. "I'm too young to start snoring!" He looked at the clock and sat up straighter. Wiress slid off his lap and took his hand as they stood up. "You two should get some rest. I'll talk to you individually before you turn in."

"Ok." Max agreed.

"Goodnight, Beetee." Wiress said. She felt warm arms wrap around her.

"Goodnight, my sweet Wiress." Beetee said softly. Beetee sighed as he watched his tributes walk hand in hand as they walked down the hallway to change into their pajamas. He knew all three of them had done everything they could to ensure either Max or Wiress would leave the arena as a victor. He felt a twinge of guilt knowing he would probably take Wiress' death harder than Max's, however, he grasped onto a sliver of hope that for now, he would not experience that grief.

"Beetee?" Max asked as his door opened. He felt the side of his bed sag slightly under his mentor's weight.

"Hey, Max." Beetee said quietly. "How are you doing, son?" Max swallowed. He had felt surprisingly more confident about going into the arena than he though he would. However, being alone in the dark, he began to wonder if his and Wiress' plan would work as he let the fear finally seep in. His fear was that he would not be able to save his small intelligent district partner.

"I'm - I just know this plan has to work." Max said. "My plan was always to bring Wiress home." He said. "I couldn't live with myself if I made it and she didn't." He paused. "Beetee, I want to join Terrin and tell him that his girl made out safely. That's all I want." Max looked into Beetee's sorrowful face. "And I know that's what you want."

"I - Max." Beetee sighed. "I never wanted to choose between you two."

"It was never a choice once Wiress stepped onto the stage. It was never a choice for either of us." Beetee nodded. "I'll keep her safe, Beetee." Beetee embraced the young man and they had a good cry. "Thanks. I needed that. I'm terrified."

"I know, son. I know." Beetee said. "But I know you will do well." Max smiled.

"Thank you." Beetee smiled at Max before leaving his room. After closing the door, he looked down the silent hallway to a slightly ajar door. Soft singing wafted through the opening. "Wiress," Beetee whispered as he approached the door.

"Beetee." Wiress said opening the door the rest of the way. She was in her nightgown with a bathrobe cinched around her waist. Her eyes met Beetee's a second before his arms were around her waist. He carried her to her bed and tucked her in.

"Wiress," Beetee sat on her bed with her small hands wrapped in his.

"I will do everything I can to come home, but I can't promise you that with certainty. There are too many variables." Wiress whispered to her mentor as her fingers lacing their grip together. "Beetee, please - please don't feel guilty if I don't come home." She paused. "You don't deserve that pain."

"Oh, Wiress." Beetee whispered kissing her on the forehead. "I love you." Wiress smiled.

"I know, Beetee." She said quietly. She smiled and snuggled deeper into her pillows allowing Beetee to pull the blankets up around her chin. Taking Beetee's hand in hers, she kissed it. "I love you too." She smiled as she watched Beetee leave knowing her goodbye was sufficient if it was only for a few weeks or forever.


	11. Chapter 11

Wiress stood in a clearing amid gently rolling green hills and leafy trees. The air was warm and clean smelling. The scene would have been tranquill if Wiress was anywhere but the arena for the Forty-Eighth Hunger Games. She pulled her grey jacket around her and took a deep breath.

"10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1..." The gong clanged a second before Wiress ran toward a backpack on the ground.

"Lock! Watch out!" She screamed a girl from Four ran toward Lock with a sword.

"Wiress!" Max screamed running toward a hill. "Get Out now!"

"We need Lock and Taylor " Wiress called before she was grabbed around her waist by a boy from seven. Max watched in terror as the boy lifted a knife before it was plunged into his stomach. Wiress escaped his grasp as he writhed with pain. Max grabbed her and ran up a low hill.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WE COULD'VE LOST YOU!"

"GET OFF ME, MAX!" Wiress screamed pushing him away. "I can't help it if I want to wait for my friends!" She sobbed. Suddenly she felt a stinging slap across her face.

"Wiress, you listen to me!" Max hissed. His heart twisted as he looked into Wiress' large eyes reflecting hurt and fear. "You're not doing anyone favors by getting yourself killed! Do you understand?" Wiress nodded and quickly regained control of herself. "Come here, squirt." Max whispered. Wiress ran into his arms as he embraced her. "Let me honor Terrin by protecting you, ok?"

"And I want to honor Wendy and Terrin by being brave." Wiress whispered.

"I know, Wiress. I know." They looked up as three small nuts flew through the air followed by five, then seven.

"Prime numbers!" Wiress and Lock squealed as Lock and Taylor came over the hill. Max groaned.

"Seriously, does the Quantum Crew _have_ to communicate in nerd?" Max groaned.

"Shut up, Max." Wiress retorted rolling her eyes before embracing Lock.

"We got a good haul. C'mon. Let's keep moving! The Careers are still busy." Taylor huffed carrying two backpacks. Lock carried two also. Max took one leaving the girls with one pack a piece.

"_Run!_" Wiress hissed. "We have strength now!" They made note of a creek they crossed and ran across several other hills. Most of the arena was hilly with lush green grass and leafy nut trees. The Quantum Crew had all shed their outer rain-coat type coats and were running in their long-sleeve moisture-wicking shirts and denim pants.

"Ok, guys, stop." Max panted. "Drink water."

"But - we have to ration it, don't we?" Lock asked.

"If we get dehydrated now, we'll never make it. Let's keep up on it while we can." Max reasoned. They filled their water-bottles by the creek and had a long drink. Wiress and Max poked around and picked some nuts and what appeared to be edible plants.

"Isn't this weird?" Wiress asked coming back to the group. "We don't hear anything."

"We ran pretty far." Taylor reasoned.

"Well, we didn't hear the cannons or anything. I wonder if the bloodbath is complete." Wiress wondered aloud. "Usually it lasts the first few hours of the Games." She paused. "I just think it's weird."

"Ominous." Lock muttered. "C'mon guys, let's just keep going." Wiress began humming to herself as she took her turn leading the others at a brisk walk. She nibbled on a cracker from a package in her backpack and licked her fingers.

"Wait!" Wiress yelped. She held up her fingers. "Does anyone else feel the static?"

"Static?" Lock asked. Wiress' large eyes widened before she lobbed a nut at the air. It flew in a predictable arc then sizzled and bounced back at the group.

"Force field." Wiress whispered. "Look." She pointed to a small shimmering spot in the sky.

"What?" Max asked.

"It's a chink in the forcefield. Where the current isn't quite uniform." Wiress explained. "We've come to the end of the arena."

"Small arena then." Taylor remarked.

"Back up. All of us. Now." Max ordered. "Good eye, Wiress." She gave her district partner a shy smile.

"Well, I detected it when the static electricity -"

"I know, Nerd." Max whispered in her ear. She blushed and playfully smacked him. They retraced their steps when suddenly they heard a terrified bloodcurdling scream.

"Oh, do you want me to stop?" Athena cackled as the other voice continued crying and screaming. "You have to say the magic word!" Her victim screamed again. "What's wrong? Can't talk?" Wiress dropped to her stomach and crawled up the hill. She clapped her hands over her mouth to keep from screaming.

Jamie was tied up to a tree with her hands and legs tied behind her back. She had several nasty gashes on her face, arms, and blood was soaking through her shirt.

"C'mon, I wanna see how the others are doing!" Athena cackled to her district partner. She laughed cruelly as she stuck her bloodied knives into their places around her belt. She waved a spear in Jamie's face before taking off. Wiress counted to ten before scampering down the hill.

"Hi, Jamie." Wiress whispered. Jamie whimpered, but Wiress gently placed a finger over her lips. "Ssssh, we don't want them coming back." Jamie started crying again as she heard another tribute's pain filled screams. "Jamie, do you want to leave here?" Jamie nodded. "Do you want the pain to go away?" Jamie nodded as tears streamed down her face. "Ok, close your eyes." Wiress's hands shook as she took out a sharp knife. "Keep your eyes shut." Wiress whispered before slicing through the side of Jamie's throat. Her cannon went off as Wiress took off over the hill and sprinted back to the Quantum Crew's camp.

"Wiress! What did you -" Lock gasped seeing the horrified look on the small girl's face.

"I - I had to - Lock - I - please don't hate me - please! They were torturing her!" Wiress dissolved into sobbing as Lock held her. Max took Wiress' bloodied knife and washed it off.

"Wiress, she's in a better place. She's with your sister now." Lock whispered to the sobbing girl.

"It was the best solution I could think of." Wiress said tearfully. "I hated to see her in pain like that - I hated it - and now the Careers can't hurt her anymore."

"And now we really have to go." Taylor muttered. "If they're on the hunt for tributes, we're just sitting ducks right here."

"Wait." Max said pointing to the sky as a silver parachute floated down. "Wiress, I bet this is for you." Wiress took the small package and gasped. A bundle of wire and a small multi-tool were tied together with a familiar fabric gold ribbon. Wiress took the ribbon and rubbed it against her cheek as the tears flowed. "Was that Wendy's?"

"Yes." Wiress whispered. "She wore it to the Capitol." She put her supplies in her pants pockets. "Thank you, Beetee." She whispered. "Thank you, Wendy."


	12. Chapter 12

"Good night, Max." Wiress whispered before snuggling next to him in the sleeping bag. Taylor and Lock would take the first watch of the night with Wiress and Max taking the second.

"Good night, squirt." Max chuckled. Wiress sighed.

"Max, you have freckles on your nose! Just like Terrin!" Wiress squeaked. She pulled out her pocket flashlight and shone it in his face. "See?"

"OW! Wiress, that light's bright!" Max yelped.

"Geez, you guys are like two train whistles! Pipe down!" Taylor called.

"Sorry." Wiress whispered. "Max?"

"Huh?" Max asked seeing a sad look cross his small district partner's face.

"I - I wanted to marry Terrin." Wiress whispered.

"I know." Max said. He grinned. "Wendy told me." Wiress sniffled before Max wrapped her in a hug. "Hey." He said quietly. "You want the whole country to know, squirt?" Wiress giggled.

"No! That's why I _whispered!_" Wiress hissed fiercely.

"Well, you're on national TV." Max muttered. Wiress suppressed a squeak before pulling her jacket over her face. "Good night." Max said grinning to himself. He got a kick in return.

"Night." Wiress muttered burying her face into her coat.

Beetee chuckled as he watched the exchange on his tablet in the Mentor room. He sighed watching Wiress fall asleep. _I need to do everything I can to help her come home._ He thought. "Go to sleep." Mags said. "Four and Six will take the night watch."

"Thank you." Beetee said gratefully. Mags put a weathered hand on Beetee's shoulder.

"Beetee?" Beetee raised his eyebrows. "How do you love your little girl?"

"Like - like a little sister." He said, his voice trembling. "And also like - like - a little person who I admire greatly." Mags nodded.

"That's what I thought." She said quietly. "I see it in your eyes." Beetee nodded before retiring to his cubicle marked 3. As he lay down on his cot, he used The Force to keep Wiress safe through the night.

Wiress blinked as the sun came up. She groaned and realized she was leaning against Max's arm. "You're a terrific little night watch lady." Max said around a yawn.

"Why?" Wiress asked.

"You fell asleep two hours in." Max said chuckling. Wiress smacked him before she and Lock wandered around to find food. She dug around a bush to reveal white berries. After examining them closely, she licked them. A rustling noise startled her as she peered behind a tree. A squirrel was licking its paws after nibbling on a nut. Pulling her knife from its sheath around her belt, she aimed for its short neck.

"Ugh." Lock groaned looking at the mangled squirrel. "I think we take the skin off." The girls cleaned the squirrel to the best of their ability before returning to the camp.

"Wow!" Max whistled. "Breakfast for us!" The Quantum Crew had a discussion abouermodynamics as they roasted the squirrel. After a hearty breakfast, they began their trek across the area. Taylor and Lock took the lead with Wiress and Max discussing plans to build traps. They would pause for Wiress to climb a tree and collect branches. Taylor used a small hatchet to cut some vines growing around a large tree.

"Sssh! Did you hear something?" Taylor asked worriedy. He heard a rustling behind a bush.

"It sounds like someone thrashing around." Wiress whispered gulping.

"Run!" A voice choked out from behind the bush. "Hurry! They'll come back!" Lock peered into the bush and gasped seeing a boy from Eight laying under the bush pinned down by several spears in his chest and abdomen. "The Careers." Lock nodded and then whirled around when Wiress squeaked in surprise.

"Don't move!" Wiress yelped. "Everyone stop!" With a trembling hand, she pointed at a long green cord on the ground. The Quantum Crew followed it up to a tree where it was attached to a weight that would crash to the ground once the cord was moved.

"Good save." Max whispered. He gulped as he heard other footfalls and voices coming over the hill. Wiress and Lock began tying sticks with vines and a rope that was in Lock's backpack. "What are you two doing?" He hissed.

"Cover us!" Lock replied quickly. "C'mon, Wiress!" They set their trap near the weight and then began running. "I HEAR SOMEONE! RUN!" The Quantum Crew ran from the area not looking around when they heard a snap of sticks and the sound of another person screaming.

"To another hill! Hurry!" Wiress panted, feeling the burning in her legs as she ran with all her might to keep up with the group.

"Not that one!" Taylor called. "That one!" He pointed to his right. The group ran up a hill and then back down. "Told ya."

"Wow." Wiress gasped staring in to a small clear lake.

"Stay back." Max called before touching a stick to the water. He gasped as the stick slowly disintegrated. "Acid." He whispered. Wiress and Lock paled.

"Why would the Gamemakers do that?" Wiress asked tightening her grip on Max's hand. They jumped as a cannon went off. The face of the boy from Eight was projected in the sky. Wiress put an arm around Lock's waist as she sniffled.

"Cruelty." Taylor muttered. "C'mon, guys. I think the Capitol's satisfied for today. Let's figure out a plan." They sat in a circle and discussed strategy.


	13. Chapter 13

"I'm bored!" Wiress and Lock gulped as they heard a familiar voice. Athena and the Careers were on the other side of the hill. "I learned about tracking in training! There are other tributes around here!"

"Later, 'Thena." One of her allies said.

"NO!" Wiress and Lock gulped hearing the bloodlust in Athena's voice.

"Fine. I'll check." Mica, the boy from One grumbled.

"Use this." Wiress whispered to her allies pulling a sheet of plastic from her backpack.

"What -" Taylor gasped staring at it. It's black surface would stand out among the tall grass on the hill.

"Cover it in grass! Hurry!" She whispered placing it near the lake. Mica came running down the hill a split second before they finished disguising the plastic. Wiress stood up with her knife in hand. Mica ran at her with his spear. Wiress appeared frozen in terror as he ran toward her harder. As his foot hit the grass covered plastic, Wiress darted out of the way. Mica yelped as his body hit the water. Wiress screamed in horror as Mica's skin seemed to dissolve turning the lake blood red. Her screams were drowned out by Mica's yells of pain. Wiress began running away from the lake but was stopped by something warm and solid.

"Wiress -" Max whispered holding her close as she wailed into his shirt. "C'mon, we gotta keep moving." Wiress was shaking too much to move. "Let's go." He carried her and kept on running. Lock and Taylor led them to another small valley dotted with rocks.

"Wiress -" Lock whispered as Wiress sat on a rock sobbing. "Wiress, what's your goal here?"

"I - I want - to - go - home -" Wiress sobbed. "But - I - feel - so - dirty - horrible - I -" Wiress wept. "I killed two people."

"We have to in order to get home." Max said quietly. "Hey, Wiress, you know someone who had to go through this to get out of the arena. You know a nerdy awesome inventor that made it back home." Wiress smiled through her sobs.

"Beetee - oh - Beetee -" Wiress buried her face in her hands and cried. "I'm trying to be strong - I'm trying to be brave - but this is so hard - Was it this hard for you?" She asked staring up at the sky. "All we want is to come home." She whispered.

Beetee stared at his tablet into Wiress' large eyes leaking tears on . "Honey - it _is_ hard. So hard - I'm sorry. _I'm so sorry_." He choked back a sob as tears flowed from his eyes along with hers. "I'll be here for you when it's over." He said quietly staring into her eyes. "I promise." He whispered pushed a button on the sponsor screen.

"Oh -" Wiress gasped as she dried her eyes. "Look!" She caught the parachute and looked inside the bag. She had more wire and a very small screwdriver set.

"Wow." Lock and Taylor whispered in awe.

"Traps." The Quantum Crew said quietly. "That's our strength." They built a trap in the rocky area before moving on to build another one near a tree. They cringed in unison as they heard two cannons go off half an hour apart.

"Wonder if that was from us" Taylor wondered.

"Dunno." Max said. "Well - that's three today." The sun was going down when they made camp. Taylor and Lock would take the second watch leaving Wiress and Max to talk as they stirred the embers of the campfire on the first watch. "What do you want to do when you get home?" Max asked Wiress trying to keep her focused.

"Go back to school." Wiress said. "Invent. What about you?"

"I dunno." Max said. "I don't have a talent like you."

"Sure you do." Wiress pointed out. "Terrin said you liked to write." Max shrugged.

"Beetee needs another inventor." Max chuckled with a teasing glint in his eye.

"Max!" Wiress yelped. "Well, I _would_ be next door for a few years." She pointed out.

"For a few years?" Max asked. "Then where would you live?"

"Uh -" Wiress blushed. "Um -" She didn't want to reveal to Max that she had calculated the years, months, and days until she would be eighteen and Beetee would be twenty-six.

"In the home of Mr. and Mrs. Beetee and Wiress Tesla?" Max asked grinning as Wiress blushed darkly. "Oh man - if Wendy can see you from wherever she is - she'd be laughing _so hard!_" He tried to keep his laughter quiet but snorted loudly.

"Wow. I shouldn't have said anything." Wiress muttered. In spite of her embarrassment, she smiled. "Well, maybe I should've." She said quietly to Max who raised his eyebrows in response. "Thanks for refocusing me. Did you want to prep materials for traps while we're on watch?" Max nodded. They were soon quietly discussing traps and assembling parts out of rope, wire, and vine.

"Max - do you smell something?" Wiress asked worriedly.

"Oh -" Max gulped. The sky turned from pristine clear to cloudy. "Fog -" Wiress coughed as the acidic moisture droplets hit her face and went into her nose, mouth, and lungs.

"We need to wake the others!" Wiress gasped. She ripped her blanket into strips and handed Max one. "Put it over your face!" She directed before she and Max were overcome by coughing spells.

"Lock! Taylor!" Wiress gaspd shaking her companions. Taylor sat up and immediately began wheezing and coughing. Wiress helped wrap a cloth around his face. "C'mon!" She stared into Taylor's fear-filled eyes as his face began to turn blue.

"Go - Lock - Wiress - Take this -" Taylor gasped pushing his backpack and small pile of weapons toward Lock.

"No - _No - Taylor!_" Lock sobbed dropping to her knees and cradling Taylor's head and shoulders in her arms.

"Lock," Taylor whispered to his district partner as he reached his hand out to trace the side of her face. "Thank you." His lips brushed hers before he shoved a bag of dried fruit into her hands from his pocket.

"I - I love you -" Lock whispered. Taylor nodded before going limp in her arms. Lock gently lay him back on the ground. Wiress and Max took her hands after she closed Taylor's eyes as his cannon fired.

"C'mon!" Max gasped. Wiress and Lock gasped for breath and looked around for any sort of cover from the fog. Lock pointed to a small cave. With the screwdriver kit, they pinned the plastic Wiress had pulled from near the lake over the opening and covered the rest with a blanket. Only then did all three tributes embrace and cry for Taylor. They huddled together for comfort and for warmth as they waited for the fog to lift.


	14. Chapter 14

Beetee watched Wiress cry herself to sleep curled against Max and Lock. He wiped his eyes and scrolled through her sponsor money. Most of her sponsors were from the Department of Technology and Communications as they had seen her ingenuity in making traps during the games. He wrote down what she would likely need when she emerged from the cave.

Rope

Small electronics kit

Food

He paused as he watched the remaining Quantum Crew members sleep. Many mentors had gone to sleep as there was a lull in the action. Beetee scanned the map of the arena. The Careers were near the cornucopia also recovering from the fog. Unlike the Quantum Crew and a tribute from Nine and from Eleven, the Careers were lying comfortably in large warm sleeping bags. Beetee sighed. He knew the Capitol was anxious for a Career victory this year as non-Career victors won the two previous Games.

Beetee woke up to his tablet buzzing to indicate the sun rising in the arena. "Get up, Wiress, get up, sweetie." He whispered watching the Careers wake up before zooming in on the Quantum Crew's cave.

"Wiress?" Max asked opening his eyes. Lock and Wiress were still sound asleep. Wiress has a light wheeze as she breathed. "Lock?" He was answered by a small sniffle. Lock opened her eyes and felt the empty ground to her left as Wiress was pressed against her right side. "Hey, how are you doing?" Max asked Lock quietly.

"Ok." She whispered as a tear leaked out of her eye. "I still miss Taylor. We went to school together."

"My little brother and Wiress went to school last year." Max said before sighing. "He was in the arena last year."

"I thought your name seemed familiar." Lock said quietly. "Are you trying to win for your brother?"

"No." Max said dropping his voice to barely above a whisper. "I want her to win for all of us." Lock nodded and looked at Wiress' sleeping form as Wiress began to stir. "Get up, squirt." Max chuckled gently shaking his small district partner.

"Ugh." Wiress groaned before coughing. She sat up and blew her nose on a piece of fabric. "I feel like I have a cold." Lock put a hand on Wiress' forehead.

"You don't feel warm."

"Well, we all did just run through noxious smog." Wiress reasoned before coughing. She caught a glint of silver on the ground near the mouth of the cave. She eagerly opened the small flap of fabric and pulled a parachute into the cave. Lock and Max began a fire with some sticks and a match that was in Taylor's backpack. "Look!" She said excitedly. "One for each of us."

"Throat lozenges?" Max asked. "Maybe we should only use half a package each. Save some for later."

"Ok." Lock and Wiress agreed. After an hour, Wiress felt well enough to emerge from the cave with Max and gather supplies for traps. She found some rocks, long sticks, and more vines on trees.

"So maybe we can make a catapult of some sort, or probably just a trap triggered by body weight." Wiress reasoned aloud.

"Well, why don't we take all this to the cave to see what Lock thinks." Max suggested. Suddenly a bloodcurdling scream made the two freeze in their tracks. Max wrapped his arms protectively around Wiress who was scanning the area. Lock came out of the cave and joined them in a terrified huddle.

"Over that hill." Wiress whispered pointing to their right. The scream came again.

"I missed you -" Athena cackled before the other tribute screamed again. "But now I can give everyone a good show!" The tribute who sounded like a boy around fourteen or fifteen screamed again and pleaded with Athena for mercy. Wiress quickly wound a vine around a V shaped branch.

"Give me a stone! Hurry!" Wiress urged Max.

"Wiress - what are you doing?" Lock gasped. Wiress grabbed a rock and climbed up a tree. She saw the tribute from Nine tied to a stake in the ground. To her horror Athena was slowly cutting off his left leg at the knee.

"NO! NO! PLEASE!" He wailed before Athena cackled and sliced her knife deeper into his knee. Wiress aimed at his head and let the stone fly. It hit the side of his head snapping it at an unnatural angle to the right. Wiress let out her breath she was holding as his cannon fired. Athena stomped around screaming in rage trying to figure out who took her kill.

"Wiress! Why do you always do this?" Lock asked in between gasps as she, Wiress, and Max ran from the scene.

"Take away the Capitol's fun." Wiress reasoned. She paused in a clearing with her hands on her knees gasping for breath. "Why haven't the Gamemakers intervened much? Because Athena is making everyone suffer. And the Capitol likes it." She gasped when a large hand clapped over her mouth.

"You want them to kill you now?" Max growled in her ear. Wiress' eyes widened and she shook her head. "Keep talking like that and they will!" Wiress broke free from his grasp.

"Well, it has to be said." Wiress said stomping her foot in rage. "For the tributes th at suffered. So their families know." Suddenly they heard a hissing sound. Wiress pulled a knife out of the holster on her belt.

"Don't move!" Lock whimpered. "Wiress -" Wiress' large eyes widened as she saw a golden snake slithering toward her. Wiress threw her knife at it. The blade impaled itself into the inch thick diameter of the animal, but to Wiress' horror, it jumped up and latched onto her arm.

"NO!" Max screamed as Wiress fell to the ground in pain. She used another knife to attempt to pry the fangs out of her arm.

Max brought a rock down on the middle of its body, smashing it until it moved no more.

"Don't move, Wiress! Don't move!" Lock gasped frantically. Wiress's eyes were becoming unfocused.

"Wendy - Terrin -" She whispered as her breath became irregular. Max wound a piece of rope around Wiress' arm and tied it tight.

"What are you doing?" Lock gasped.

"We need to get the venom out." Max said. He knelt by his small district partner's side and made a long cut in her arm through the snake-bite. "Wiress, keep your eyes open!"

"Max," Wiress whispered. "You and Lock - go -"

"No. The Quantum Crew stays together, Wiress." Lock said firmly. "Wiress - look at me."

"I -" Wiress choked out. "Beetee - Mom - Dad - I - I love you." She closed her eyes as Max continued squeezing the blood out of her arm.

"Ok." Max said fighting back sickness as he stared at the puddle of blood on the ground. "I either got it or I didn't. She'll die of blood loss if I keep going." He and Lock bound Wiress' arm before Max picked her up. "Beetee," Max said to the sky. "If you have anything - please -" He pleaded before he and Lock began looking for a place to make camp.


	15. Chapter 15

"Well, finally." Max muttered as a parachute floated down from the sky an hour after Wiress was bitten. Lock was holding Wiress in her lap under a shelter made of sticks. Max had built it as well as set up the campsite to keep himself occupied. He opened the package. "Antivenom." He uncapped the syringe and injected the liquid into Wiress' thigh. "C'mon, Wiress, get up, squirt." Lock and Max waited with baited breath before Wiress let out a small cough.

"Max -" Wiress whispered. She looked at him with a dazed expression. "How long -"

"It's still day - well -whatever it is. It's still snake-bite day." Max said.

"Ok." Wiress whispered, her voice quite hoarse. "Do you need -" Her brain was still fuzzy as she looked around.

"We just need you to rest." Lock said gently, cradling the young girl in her arms. "Rest, Wiress." She whispered blinking back tears of relief knowing she would not need to say good bye to the small yet strong girl she had befriended.

"We - still - need to get -" Wiress began, but trailed off as she was distracted by looking at the pile of materials they had allocated for traps.

"We have food and everything." Max said. "Really. Just rest, squirt." He helped her drink some water and eat some roots and berries. After an hour nap, Wiress began drawing trap designs in the dirt. Lock and Max followed her instructions as they assembled some traps.

Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter watched their daughter work on her designs. They had done the interview when she made it into the final eight, but it still didn't ease their anxietyr. "They made her weak." Mrs. Carpenter whispered watching Wiress. Though Wiress' mind was beginning to clear, she looked much weaker. Her hand shook as she drew in the sand and it took effort for her to move around. Mr. Carpenter noticed and nodded in agreement with his wife.

"They had to." Mr. Carpenter replied. "She was getting too strong for them." He wrapped his arm around his wife. "Honey, there's only two Careers and her little Quantum Crew left."

"That's still four. Four more before she comes home." Mrs. Carpenter whispered, tears in her eyes. "And they don't want her to come home." She buried her face into her husband's chest and cried. "I just think that we will ultimately have to say good bye."

"Well, she gets her stubbornness from me because I'm not ready to say goodbye to our little girl yet." Mr. Carpenter whispered furiously. "They can't take her away from us. Not if Beetee can help it, and not if she keeps outsmarting them. She's our girl. She can make it."

Beetee smiled as Wiress shakily got to her feet around dinner time that evening. She helped Max boil some leaves and roots in water. "Well, you would need larger sticks for -" Wiress paused. "The pot."

"I know, Wiress." Max said. "You could build a whole stove out of wood, couldn't you?" He asked jokingly. Lock giggled. Beetee smiled and zoomed in on Wiress' face.

"Well - that would take a while -" Wiress began. Beetee smiled as he saw her face scrunched up in concentration. "Not here in the arena, though." She playfully poked Max.

"I'm glad you're feeling better, Wiress." Lock said smiling. Wiress smiled back as Max dished out their dinner.

"Me too. Thank you, Beetee." Wiress said before blowing a kiss to the sky.

"Your welcome, my dear. You're so very welcome. Come home soon." Beetee whispered before touching his lips to the image of Wiress' face on his tablet screen. "We all know you can make it."


	16. Chapter 16

Wiress woke up snuggled against Lock and Max. She stretched before climbing out of her sleeping bag. Something in the air felt different. With a curious expression on her face, she grabbed some pebbles around the grass by her sleeping bag. She launched them one by one slightly to her left. "Guys! Wake up! Wake up!" She gasped frantically shaking her companions' shoulders.

"Whazgoinon, squirt?" Max groaned sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"The force field! The arena's closing in!" Wiress gasped. She threw a few more pebbles to prove her point. Lock and Max nodded as the scorched pebbles flew back toward Wiress.

"Let's go." Max said. They stood up and began walking toward the center of the arena toward the cornucopia. "How did you know what was going on?"

"Chink in the field." Wiress explained simply. "I saw it and before then, the air seemed more charged." They climbed a small hill and Wiress stopped to pick a flower. "Here." She said solemnly to Lock. "For you. I'll never forget you."

"I'll never forget you either." Lock said, tears coming to her eyes as she embraced her small ally.

"I think I hear them." Max said as the girls pulled away from their hug. Wiress uncoiled a long piece of wire and the three tributes worked on making a trap that was set by someone stepping in a wire before being hoisted up by a branch to hang upside down from a tree.

"Done." Wiress announced before jumping down from the tree and taking great care to walk around the trigger for the trap.

"Well. Look who we found!" Athena cackled. She and her district partner Granite ran over the hill and stared gleefully at the Quantum Crew at the bottom. Wiress gulped noticing that Athena appeared to have gained muscle while in the arena. Athena wasted no time before throwing a spear at Lock pinning her to the ground through her chest. "Haha! Got one!" She cheered.

"No you don't!" Max hollered running toward Athena who had pulled a knife from inside her jacket and threw it at Wiress who barely dodged it.

"MAX! WATCH OUT!" Wiress screamed as Granite unsheathed his sword. At nearly six foot tall, he towered over Max's 5'6 slender frame. Max pulled the spear out of Lock's body and aimed it at the boy. Wiress began fighting hand in hand with Athena. "MAX!" Wiress screamed as Granite plunged his sword through Max's shoulder.

"You'll join him soon, weak little girl!" Athena cackled before slashing the air near Wiress' face. Wiress lunged at Athena catching her in the shoulder. She screamed in anger and barreled toward Wiress. Wiress hopped around the trigger point of her trap and waited as Athena's boot planted right in the middle of the wire. Athena screamed in anger and terror as the wire and rope hoisted her into the air. "COME BACK HERE, LITTLE GIRL!" Athena screamed as Wiress ran back toward Max and Lock as two cannons fired.

"LOCK!" Wiress screamed kneeling beside her ally who stared up at Wiress with unseeing eyes. Wiress pressed her hands against the wound in Lock's abdomen, but shook her head in grief when she realized Lock's heart was no longer pumping blood onto the grass. "Oh, Lock." She whispered before kissing Lock's cheek and closing her eyes. Wiress turned her head to her right at hearing a groan.

"Max! Max!" Wiress wailed running toward her best friend's older brother laying on the ground with blood pouring out of wounds on his shoulder and chest. Granite lay unmoving beside him with a spear in his stomach. "Max - don't go - please - Max - keep your eyes open!_ Please, Max, please!"_ Wiress wailed shaking his shoulders and frantically tapping his face. "Max -_ please don't leave me!_" Wiress wailed.

"Hey, squirt." Max whispered. He smiled as he felt the pain leaving. "Hey - you did really well. You're almost home." He whispered cupping her small face in his hand.

"You worked hard too." Wiress cried. "I can ask Beetee to help you - I know I can!"

"It's too late, squirt." Max choked out. He squeezed Wiress' hands in his own. "Hey, Terrin's waiting for me. I'll be with you in The Force."

"Thank you - so much - Max - I'll never forget you!" Wiress said tearfully. Max smiled at her before his cannon fired. Wiress closed his before returning to Athena.

"Are you gonna kill me now, little girl?" Athena snarled at her. "Or are you afraid?" Wiress gulped. She unsheathed her knife. "Well?" Wiress' large eyes saw a flash of fear on Athena's face before Athena resumed her scowl.

"It's not fair." Wiress whispered. "You get out of the trap first. Then we'll fight square." Tears came to her eyes. "I'm - I'm not doing this just for you - but for - Max and Lock - and Terrin and Wendy would want me to." She sniffled. "Goodbye, Athena." She grabbed her backpack that had her wires and batteries in it before running toward the cornucopia where she knew Athena would find her. Wiress wiped her eyes as she ran. Even if she didn't make it home, she hoped her actions would still bring pride to her district and honor her allies, Terrin, and Wendy.


	17. Chapter 17

Wiress built an elaborate trap wrapping the coils of wire around the metal cornucopia. As she climbed up on top, she scanned the arena for Athena. She sat on the top humming herself as she fastened various batteries to the top and began connecting them. Suddenly she heard a terrified scream. "ATHENA!" Wiress screamed, her heart hammering in her chest. She was terrified knowing something truly horrible had scared the fierce girl. Wiress unraveled a coil of wire as she climbed midway down the golden horn. "ATHENA! GRAB THIS!" She yelled throwing a wire to the ground.

"GET ME OUT OF HERE!" Athena screamed with terror in her voice. Wiress gasped and screamed as two six-foot komodo dragons quickly crawled in pursuit of Athena. Wiress screamed but grabbed onto the webbing of wires she had strung across and nailed to the horn as Athena began scaling the horn while holding on to the wires wrapped around it. Both girls screamed as one of the dragons sank its teeth into Athena's foot. They watched horrified as the animal tore her foot from her body exposing the distal ends of her shins.

"Try to climb!" Wiress commanded.

"I - I - can't -" Athena panted.

"Here!" Wiress handed Athena a wire. "Toss this on the ground! I'm going to connect the battery!"

"DON'T LEAVE ME!" Athena wailed. "PLEASE! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!" Wiress wrapped the ends of the wires around the battery. An almighty shock from the current went through her body as she crawled back on the electrified horn to Athena. "I'm slipping -" Athena sobbed.

"I have you, Athena." Wiress whispered as her two small hands enveloped one of Athena's large hands as the live wires dug into their skin.

"I - I - can't -" Athena whimpered. Wiress realized she was quickly weakaning from blood loss as well as shock from the electricity shooting through her body.

"Try. For your family at home. Try! I'm trying too -" Wiress gasped fighting to stay conscious. "The - lizzards - are - taking some of the current -" Her eyelids felt heavy. "We - we can defeat them."

"Please don't die, little girl." Athena sobbed. "You saved me - please - stay awake." Wiress nodded. Her large eyes shot open seeing the fear in Athena's face. "No - NO! PLEASE! STOP!" Wiress looked up as two large eagles flew toward them. Wiress pulled a wire loose and tied a throwing star to it. With all her might, she threw it and it hit one of the birds. It sqwaked as a strong current of electricity shot through its body. Athena handed her a knife to throw at the other bird. Wiress watched the second bird sqwak in agony as the knife went through its neck. Wiress collapsed back on the horn completely exhausted

"Athena -" Wiress whispered. She held one of the muscular hands gripping her wire net in a white-knuckled grip. "Athena - can you hear me?" Wiress placed her face next to Athena's. Even though Athena's eyes were glazed over, she was still breathing. "Wendy, Terrin," She whispered. "Help me hold on, but I'm ready to join you if you want. If - The - Force wants." She whispered as she felt her heart beat to an irregular rhythm in her chest.

"The Games are taking us both. Together." Athena choked out. Wiress nodded before she heard a deafening clap of thunder. The whole arena seemed to light up in brilliant white light. Wiress had a nanosecond glance at Taylor, Lock, Max, Terrin, and Wendy's faces in the blinding light before blackness enveloped her consciousness.


	18. Chapter 18

"NO!" Beetee screamed as the two tributes fell to the floor of the arena a split second after the cornucopia was struck by lightning. The clap of thunder wasn't enough to mask two cannon blasts. "WIRESS! NO! NOOOOO!" Several mentors held him back as he fought to run toward the main screen in the mentor room. "WIRESS! GET UP! PLEASE! PLEASE GET UP!" He screamed in vain staring horrified at Wiress' unmoving form on the ground. The arena was absolutely silent.

Beetee sank to his knees on the floor and buried his head in his hands. "WIRESS!" He wailed as snippets of her brief life flashed behind his eyes. She was ten showing her science fair project to him as a Senior Engineering Academy judge. She was hugging him before he went off to his Games. He was picking her up as she giggled on Parcel Day after he was Victor. He held her hand as he accompanied her to private lessons at the Engineering Academy. He held her as she cried for Wendy and Terrin when they didn't come back from their Games. He watched in horror as her name was called and cried silently as she bravely took the stage. He smiled as she went from a terrified sheltered twelve year old to the leader of the Quantum Crew. Her rebellious attitude showed when she refused to play the Games by ruthlessly killing to win. "Oh - Wiress - I'm sorry - I'm so sorry -" Beetee choked out between sobs.

"Beetee." Beetee looked up at Mags who had a hand on his shoulder. "Your girl." She pointed to the screen. The cameras were zooming in on a trauma room in a hovercraft above the arena.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, it appears Wiress Carpenter is indeed the victor of the 57th Hunger Games!" Claudius Templesmith announced. Medical personnel clothed in surgical blue surrounded a table where Wiress' small body lay. Beetee looked at the screens behind her where many of the numbers were still flashing red. "The doctors have revived her and she will return to the Capitol shortly to recover."

"She won." Mrs. Carpenter whispered. "Our baby's coming home." Mr. Carpenter nodded before hugging his wife and dissolving into tears. The two minutes of silence in the arena as two prongs lifted Athena and Wiress off the ground were agonizing.

"They just have to fix her up. Then we can hold her again." He whispered through his tears. "I knew she could do it." Mrs. Carpenter smiled.

"She proved them wrong." Mrs. Carpenter whispered. They sat on the couch crying in relief at Wiress' pending homecoming, but in sadness remembering Wendy's passing.

Beetee woke up and blinked as the white walls and tiles reflected the light in the room. He stretched in the plastic chair before smiling at the small girl in the hospital bed beside him. "Wiress, honey, open your eyes." Beetee said stroking the back of Wiress' hand with his fingers before reaching up and brushing her cheek with the back of his hand. "Come on, honey. You were moving earlier." He looked at her peaceful face as he had been for the past two weeks. A breathing tube was inserted directly into her neck. She was off her heart-lung machine. After six surgeries in fifteen days, the doctors said her other body systems were beginning to work more normally. "Wiress, honey, please." Beetee pleaded. "You can see your mom and dad again." He paused. "I know you like dreaming about Wendy and Terrin, but I want to see your eyes. Your large beautiful eyes." He kissed her forehead before two aides came into her room. He helped them bathe Wiress and change her nightgown before rolling her into another position. Beetee took her hands again and began telling her about his inventions. He coaxed her to open her eyes a bit before he went back to sleep to do it all over the next day.

"Wiress, open your eyes, honey." Beetee said a week later. Wiress was on her fifth day free from her her breathing tube. Beetee held his breath as her eyelids fluttered. "Wiress, sweet girl -" He whispered before he gazed into large bewildered eyes. "It's me, Beetee." Wiress moved her mouth.

"Beetee." She said hoarsely.

"You're in the hospital, honey."

"My - wire - accident?" Wiress asked slowly. Beetee helped her sit up in bed. "Factory?"

"Wiress, you're back from the arena." Beetee said smoothing her hair away from her forehead with his palm. "Are you ready to go home?" Wiress nodded before wrapping him in a hug. "That's my girl. That's my sweet girl." He whispered holding her close. He settled her and adjusted her pillows as she drifted back to sleep. "We just have your interview and we'll go home."

"Home." Wiress whispered kissing him on the cheek. "I knew you'd bring me home."


	19. Chapter 19

Wiress smiled as she finished her oatmeal sprinkled with cinnamon, raisins, and a hint of honey. Her appetite had returned after a month of physical therapy. The medical aide assigned to her care took her bowl and examined her before Beetee pulled his chair close to her bed. "Beetee?" She asked as Beetee took her hands in his.

"Yes, dear?" Beetee asked smiling as he gazed into her eyes.

"Today's the day, isn't it?" Beetee nodded and kissed her on the cheek. "What do I say?"

"Well," Beetee began as he caressed the back of her hands with his thumbs. "You'll be addressing Caesar and the Capitol, so you would want to thank your sponsors. Also, this will be your first opportunity to address the families of the other tributes." He reached up and gently brushed a tear away from Wiress' cheek. "Honey, that's the hardest part." He whispered before kissing her cheek again. "But now, you can really begin to plan your future." Wiress smiled.

"I want to invent. With you." Wiress announced, her whole face lighting up.

"I know." Beetee said, his throat constricting as a tear trickled down his face. Small arms wrapped around his middle and he kissed the top of her head. "I thought that would be taken away from us - from you- but you're back - you're going home with me."

"We're ready for her." Horatio, the stylist said opening the door. "The doctors have cleared her to prepare for her interview." Beetee nodded.

"I'll see you in a few hours, honey." Beetee said smiling and kissing the back of Wiress' hands. He helped her out of bed and walked her down the hallway to the Remake room. "Now, she's still a bit weak, so watch her when she gets out of the tub - help her up, and make sure she doesn't get too cold. Be gentle with her skin." Beetee ordered the prep team. "She's my - our precious Victor. Please be gentle. Please." The prep-team saw the pleading in Beetee's eyes and nodded.

"We'll take good care of your girl, Beetee." One of them said smiling before taking Wiress hand and leading her to the tub full of bath foam. True to their word, the prep team was gentle with Wiress. Her skin had been polished to remove the scars from the arena and her subsequent surgeries and would stand scrubbing, but the team decided not to exfoliate as vigorously as they usually did. They helped Wiress into a dress that was made of light gold shimmery fabric. It formed a round neck and had short sleeves. Wiress gasped as Wendy's ribbon was tied around her waist.

"It's beautiful. Thank you, Horatio!" Wiress gasped as he fixed her hair in her signature updo with metal fibers woven into her dark locks. "Thank you for Wendy's ribbon." Horatio smiled.

"She would say you looked lovely." Wiress blinked back tears before hugging him tightly.

"Oh - Wiress, honey!" Beetee gasped as she opened the door to the remake room. He scooped her up in his arms and held her close.

"Beetee," Wiress whispered in his ear. "The doctor says I need to keep getting stronger. I can walk to the interview stage."

"Of course you can, Wiress, of course." Beetee laughed twirling her around in his arms. "I just wanted a good look at my beautiful co-inventor." To his satisfaction, Wiress blushed darkly.

"Beetee!" She squeaked as Beetee laughed heartily. "No embarrassing me on stage! I mean it!" She scowled, but her large eyes were sparkling with excitement at the prospect of returning to her home and her work. She took Beetee's hand and held it firmly. She smiled as his fingers wrapped around hers as they walked down the hall. She arrived on the small launch plate that would bring her to the stage. The design of the mechanism mirroring the launch plate of the arena was not lost on her. As the plate rose, Beetee wrapped his arms around her protectively as she leaned into him.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present District Three's mentor Beetee Tesla and his young victor Wiress Carpenter!" Wiress gulped as a thunderous sound of cheering hit her full force. Beetee let go of her as she moved to stand by his side. She grasped his hand firmly in his and laced her fingers through his to lock their grip. Beetee felt her setting the pace as they walked to the center of the stage. To his surprise, Wiress raised their arms in their interlaced grip before bowing. The applause grew louder as he and Wiress stood back up. Wiress smiled and squeezed Beetee's hand again.

Caesar gestured for Beetee to sit on a small stool and Wiress to sit in an elevated fabric chair. She moved the chair so she could sit next to Beetee without breaking their grip. Wiress took a deep breath and closed her eyes as the lights dimmed. She felt Beetee squeeze her hand and rub the back of her hand soothingly as the recap of her Games started.

Predictably, they focused on the Quantum Crew and Wiress' mix of ingenuity with her traps and concern for the other tributes. The crowd was absolutely silent during the final sequence where Wiress attempted to save Athena from the komodo dragon mutts. Wiress' eyes widened when she watched the lightning bolt electrify the cornucopia before two cannons blasts sounded through the arena.

"Well, Wiress." Caesar said after a pause. "Your victory at your age is astounding, and your ingenuity is extraordinary indeed. You of course owe much of your success to the alliance you forged with Six."

"Yes." Wiress said gulping. She let a tear slide down her cheek as she took a shaky breath. "Lock and Taylor were great. They were Max and my friends in training and we vowed to always help each other. That's why we were able to make it so far."

"Yes. And speaking of helping people, you helped Athena - the Career who pursued you from the beginning." Wiress nodded. "That was quite astounding."

"I -" Wiress choked up but cleared her throat. "She was taught to be ferocious. She was trained to kill. But when she was in that trap, she was scared. Just like all the other tributes. Just like me. She's had more training in the Games than me, but - she wanted to go home. All she wanted was to win and go home." Tears were freely streaming down Wiress' cheeks. "She was scared at the end. Both of us were so close, but we knew we had to win or die horribly. So - we had to work together so maybe one of us would have a chance."

"Wiress, you've managed to come out of the arena being the smart sweet girl you were going in." Caesar remarked.

"Thank you." Wiress said. "I - I kept using The Force to ask Wendy and Terrin - and - later - Taylor, Lock, and Max what I should do." She bit her lip before continuing. "They said to be myself. To not change. Even if I joined them. I have to still love deep down - because - because there are people that want to love me back." Wiress' eyes grew even larger as the camera panned on Beetee. She watched the broadcast on the screens in front of her as the camera zoomed on Beetee's face where tears were flowing down his cheeks. Wiress looked at him curiously. "Beetee?"

"Wiress - I -" Beetee began. He knew the cameras were rolling even though the screen in front of him went dark. "Wiress - I love you, my dear. Even if I lost you, I would never regret mentoring the smartest sweetest girl - oh, Wiress -" Beetee got up and wrapped her in a hug. "Sweetie, I love you so much."

"I love you, Beetee." Wiress cried wrapping her arms around his neck as he held her close. "I love you too." The crowd awwed. Wiress smiled as the victor's crown was placed on her head. She kissed Beetee on the cheek before he helped her down from the chair and pulled her close to his side. They smiled through their tears of joy and sadness as they waved to the Capitol, their district, and the nation of Panem. The had supported each other as they endured their Games, and now they could support each other as fellow Victors and inventors in District Three.


	20. Chapter 20

Wiress settled into her bed on the train back to Three. "We're finally going home." Wiress said smiling as Beetee squeezed her hand.

"Yup. To your new house." Beetee said smiling. Wiress grinned and sat up excitedly.

"We'll be neighbors!" Wiress shrieked excitedly wrapping her twenty year old friend in a tight hug. "Oh, Beetee! I could come to your house every day!"

"That you can. And I can come to yours too." Beetee chuckled once he peeled the small Victor off of him and straightened his glasses that got knocked askew. "Good night, Wiress. I love you."

"I love you too." Wiress said. She smiled and dreamed about the Engineering Academy as the train rolled out of the Capitol.

"WIRESS! WIRESS!" Wiress hopped down from the train and ran into her parents' arms. "Oh, my little wire, you're home! You made it home, honey!" Mrs. Carpenter sobbed wrapping her arms around her daughter.

"Mom - Dad - I'm home!" Wiress gasped.

"I knew you could make it, Wiress, sweetie!" Mr. Carpenter said in between his tears. "We have a surprise for you back home." Wiress' large eyes sparkled with excitement as she took her parents' hands and practically skipped from the train station to Victors' Village. Beetee followed her with a small suitcase containing her reaping dress and some medicine from the Capitol that would help Wiress continue her recovery. He set it on the porch of Wiress' new house and told them that he would be over in a few minutes.

"Wow." Wiress gasped looking at the two story house that awaited her. Tears sprang to her eyes. "Oh - Mom - Dad - I wish Wendy could live here too."

"I know, honey. I know." Mrs. Carpenter whispered. "We miss her too, little wire." The Carpenters hugged on the porch and had a good cry before Mr. Carpenter handed Wiress the key.

"This is your house, my smart girl." He explained. "You earned it." Wiress opened the door and gasped. A nice couch and two easy-chairs around a coffee table were in the living room. Wiress walked into the dining room where a polished wooden table and six chairs took up a room as large as her old living room. She grinned as she went into the kitchen examining the refrigerator, stove, sink, and a microwave. She ran her hand over the stainless steel counters.

"Let's go up so you can pick your room." Mrs. Carpenter said.

"My room?" Wiress gasped. Her parents nodded. Wiress walked up the stairs and saw five doors in the hallway: two on each side and one at the end. She opened the door to one room and saw a large bed, dresser, and desk in it. The other rooms were similarly furnished. "Is your room at the end of the hallway?" Mr. Carpenter nodded. Wiress looked in one particular room and went in. She looked out the window and smiled. Her view was of the neighboring house. A window was open letting the breeze blow through vented blinds that were pulled up. Wiress opened the window. "BEETEE!" She called. "BEETEE! I SEE INTO YOUR ROOM!"

"Wiress!" Beetee laughed. "Silly girl! Now half the district knows you moved in!" Wiress giggled profusely.

"Looks like you found your room, squirt." Mr. Carpenter said. "Beetee!" He called. "May I have a word with you, son?"

"Yes, sir?" Beetee called.

"No talking through these windows to my daughter at all hours of the night, is that understood?" Wiress blushed and hid her face at her father's lecture.

"Yes, sir!" Beetee called blushing darkly.

"Wiress Carpenter?" Mr. Carpenter asked eyeing his daughter.

"Yes, dad." Wiress said. Beetee chuckled and closed his window before heading back over to Wiress' house. He met Wiress as she came back into the living room.

"Hey, Wiress, have you seen the best part of your house yet?" Beetee asked.

"No." Wiress said.

"Well, open the door in the kitchen."

"That leads to the laundry room, silly!" Wiress giggled.

"The other door." Beetee said. He took Wiress' hand and led her through the kitchen and showed her a door next to the laundry room. "Open it." Wiress opened it.

"Oh -" Wiress gasped looking at a flight of descending stairs. "There's a basement." Her parents joined them.

"Turn on the light, honey." Mrs. Carpenter said pointing to the wall near the stairs. Wiress flicked the switch and walked down the wooden steps. As she pushed open the double doors at the bottom, she was greeted with a cheer.

"WIRESS! WIRESS!" Melissa and the other twelve second year students cheered along with several Engineering Academy faculty members. Wiress squealed and ran into her friends' arms.

"Let her look around, guys!" Beetee called. Wiress gasped as she looked around her brand new workroom. Gleaming counters were along the walls. Carts with drawers containing the supplies she would need to invent were scattered throughout the room. One wall contained a built-in bookshelf that had the necessary manuals she would consult.

"Oh - wow!" Wiress gasped, her large eyes taking in the room. "It's - It's -" Tears trickled down her cheeks.

"You're welcome." The principal of the academy said embracing her. "As a victor, you are no longer required to go to school, but we will be able to tutor you after we finish teaching classes for the day. In the meantime, Beetee will be a more than adequate mentor for you." Wiress gasped.

"I - I'm not coming back?" Wiress asked sadly.

"No. But you will still be an engineer. I daresay you might sit for that exam sooner than many of your friends." The principal said smiling as Wiress blushed and looked at the floor. "That is why we decided to bring a bit of the Academy to you here in this room."

"Oh - Wow - thank you - thank you so much -" Wiress hugged the principal and her instructors. She grinned at her friends. "And of course you guys can come over any time too!" They all laughed and hugged her, grateful she had come home.

"Wiress!" Mr. Carpenter called. "Your mom tested the oven by cooking you a homecoming cake - and we probably have enough for everyone here. Yes, you too, young man." he said eyeing Beetee. "You brought her home. For all of us." Wiress smiled at Beetee and reached for his hand. With her other hand, she traced his cheek before kissing his face softly.

"Wiress, these next few months - well - whatever happens now will be awesome." Beetee said smiling at the young engineer in his arms.

"I know." Wiress said. "I made it back home. With you - and because of you." They hugged before leading the group upstairs to celebrate Wiress' homecoming and her new future. She and Beetee would always go forward as a team.


End file.
